...continuing...
104 INT.
NICK’S APARTMENT. NIGHT
STAIR sits at Nick’s desk,
looking through a small pile of photos of Nick in various work situations:
- interviewing subjects in
different locations
- taking notes, playfully annoyed
at being photographed
- driving his 4WD
- clowning around in a boyish
fashion.
PATRICE watches STAIR as he
flicks through the photos fast, as if looking for a particular photo. He stops
on one:
- Nick, talking on his red mobile
phone, looking directly into the lens - one arm outstretched: “I won’t be
long.”
PATRICE
What?
STAIR shakes his head.
STAIR
Did you give him a hard time
about being on the phone all the time?
PATRICE
“I won’t be long.” We were making
love one time...fucking...and his phone rang and...
STAIR
He took the call?
PATRICE laughs, shakes her head.
STAIR
I should go. I have to...
He smiles, gestures to his
mobile: “make some calls”
PATRICE
You winning or losing?
STAIR makes a so-so gesture with his
hand.
STAIR
Not over till the fat lady sings.
PATRICE
And if the fat lady doesn’t sing?
STAIR
I’m fucked. But the fat lady will
sing, soon, I promise you.
PATRICE
I’m sure you’ll see to that. (A
BEAT) Hold her down: ”Sing, fuck you!”
105 EXT.
PHNOM PENH STREET. NIGHT
Patrice’s 4WD moves slowly down a
street crowded with girlie bars, street vendors, roadside stalls, beggars and
all the richness of life to be found on a hot Phnom Penh evening.
STAIR (V.O.)
What’s the name of Wing Chou’s
casino?
106 INT.
PATRICE’S 4WD. NIGHT
Patrice’s 4 WD pulls up outside
Stair’s hotel - right in the heart of the busiest part of the street.
PATRICE
No name. It doesn’t exist.
Officially. Why?
STAIR
No reason. Just curious.
PATRICE
You are a curious person, Mr
Alistair Morecombe.
STAIR (smiles)
Is that an insult or a
compliment?
PATRICE smiles. STAIR signals
goodbye, turns again:
PATRICE
I know you’re a gambler,
incidentally.
STAIR (smiles)
Thought you and Nick never talked
about me.
PATRICE
Nick’s silences are eloquent.
Were. He worried about your gambling...
STAIR holds his hand up to stop
her.
PATRICE
OK.
PATRICE watches STAIR as he
battles with emotions he can’t, doesn’t want, to express. Out of a long
silence:
STAIR
I should...(go)
He holds up his mobile phone.
PATRICE (nods)
Don’t be a stranger.
STAIR
If you ever get to Sydney...
PATRICE
If you ever come back
to...(Cambodia)
STAIR nods. They look at each
other for a long moment.
PATRICE
I’m sorry for...
She makes a ‘what-happened-earlier’
gesture, indicates STAIR’S lip.
STAIR
I...Takes two to tango. Um...
PATRICE
You a good dancer?
STAIR
Two left feet. (A BEAT) Nick was
the dancer in the family.
Tears well in PATRICE’S eyes. She
begins to shake. STAIR is not sure how to respond.
Tears stream down PATRICE’S
cheeks. She leans tentatively towards STAIR. He puts his arms around her
awkwardly. She clings tightly to him. He clings tightly to her, tears welling
in his own eyes.
107 EXT.
STAIR’S HOME. DAY
KATIE and TODD, behind the
camera, look at STAIR for a long moment. TODD consults his notes.
TODD
So she did bite you?
STAIR (laughs)
After all I’ve just told you,
that’s the detail you’re interested in most, Todd!?
TODD
I’m just...You lied, right? You
and Meas. To Patrice.
STAIR
Parsimonious with the truth,
Todd. Parsimonious. You know what parsimonious means?
TODD bristles.
KATIE
So, you knew Nick’s death was not
an accident but...can I be frank?
STAIR
You can be frank if you want to,
but you’re much cuter as Katie.
KATIE (laughs)
You were basically lying to
Patrice about...the mobile phone, about the girl Nick raped...allegedly
raped..the CIA connection...posible CIA connection...
STAIR
Basically, yes, Frank. Your point?
KATIE
...to protect her...
TODD
So how do we know you are telling
us the truth?
STAIR
You don’t, Todd. Do you ever lie
to Todd, Katie? Because to tell him the truth would hurt his feelings, fuck up
your relationship, open up a Pandora’s Box that you would rather not open?
KATIE’s jaw drops. She turns
pale. TODD looks at her, interested to know the answer to this question also.
Thinking fast on her feet:
KATIE
If I lied to Todd, that would
make me a liar, right?
STAIR
Right.
KATIE
And if I am a liar, I can’t be
trusted to tell the truth?
STAIR
Right.
KATIE
So, if I am a liar and I can’t be
trusted and I tell you that I don’t tell Todd any lies...
STAIR
You might be lying.
KATIE
And if I tell you I lie all the
time...
STAIR (laughs)
You might be lying.
TODD doesn’t ‘get’ it but is
clearly pissed off at STAIR’S and KATIE’S flirtation.
TODD
Can we get back to...?
KATIE
I’m still interested to know what
happened between the kiss and the bite.
STAIR
Do you want me to walk you
through it?
KATIE turns bright red.
108.
INT. STAIR’S HOME IN SYDNEY. NIGHT
Stair’s wife, TILDA and daughters
ROSIE (aged 8) and TINA (aged 10) are propped up in bed together looking at an
iPad.
STAIR (V.O.)
And the Handsome Prince, looked
down at the big pile of leaves and twigs and sticks and logs piled up at his
feet and around his ankles and smiled.
ROSIE and TINA look at the
screen, wide-eyed:
STAIR reads the story with
appropriate animated expressions:
STAIR
“You cannot kill me,” said the
Handsome Prince to the masked man holding the flaming torch, for I have a magic
spell...
109 INT.
HOTEL ROOM. NIGHT
STAIR by a window overlooking the
busy street, a children’s story book in his lap, talking to his iPad - on which
he can see TILDA, ROSIE and TINA propped up in bed. Girlie Bar coloured neon
lights flash...
STAIR
...that will not only protect me
from the flames but will make them rise and swirl and search you out, hunt you
down. There is no escaping...
110.
INT. STAIR’S HOME IN SYDNEY/HOTEL ROOM. NIGHT
Intercutting between the two
locations.
STAIR (V.O.)
...the swirling magic flames....?
TINA notices the tears in TILDA’S
eyes.
TINA
It’s OK, mummy, its only a story.
TILDA
Yes, darling, but a very sad
story.
TINA
It’s not sad because the Prince
doesn’t die and...
TILDA
Enough story for tonight. I need
to talk to your father...
TINA
But...
TILDA
No buts. Kiss daddy goodbye.
TINA
Goodbye daddy.
TINA kisses the screen. ROSIE
leans close, flirts with STAIR:
ROSIE
Do you have a surprise for me,
daddy?
STAIR
Maybe. For you and Tina.
ROSIE
What?
STAIR
It wouldn’t be a surprise if I
told you.
TINA
Is Uncle Nick dead? Did he die in
a fire?
STAIR
No, he’s not dead. Now You get
off to bed you two.
Stair’s iPad indicates an
incoming call.
TILDA
Five minutes and lights out,
right!
STAIR
Can I call you back in five?
TILDA nods.
111 INT.
DERELICT BUILDING. NIGHT
BALIN MEAS stands with OTHER
POLICE in in a dingy room - its green fungal walls illuminated by their
flashing torches.
BALIN MEAS lifts his iPhone to
take a photo of:
A blonde haired man, a noose
around his neck, hangs from a beam. His mouth is taped shut with gaffer tape,
his eyes have been gouged out and a machete is buried deep in his gut.
Skinny dogs circle the pool of
blood beneath the hanging corpse.
As BALIN MEAS takes photos:
STAIR (V.O.)
The fat lady hasn’t sung yet.
112.
INT. HOTEL ROOM. NIGHT
STAIR - nervous, tense - sits on
the edge of his bed, mobile phone held to his ear.
MIRIAM (telephone)
I think she has, Stair.
STAIR
They’re just calling my bluff. (A
BEAT) Tell them to hold off for twenty four hours. Thirty six. (A BEAT) I’ll
think of something.
After a long pause.
MIRIAM (telephone)
OK
113 INT.
HOTEL LOBBY. NIGHT
STAIR walks through the lobby of
his hotel carrying his iPad.
He walks out into a busy street.
114 EXT.
STREET IN DOWNTOWN PHNOM PENH. NIGHT
STAIR walks along a street lined
with girlie bars; bustling with YOUNG KHMER WOMEN in short skirts, high heels
and too much make-up calling out to FOREIGN MEN on the prowl - most on the
wrong side of 50.
He walks past, but pays no
attention to, an 11 year old Khmer girl with a tray slung around her neck
filled with books. Her name is VANNY.
VANNY is trying to sell a book to
a MIDDLE AGED TOURIST COUPLE. A great little saleswoman, VANNY holds up a book
for their inspection.
VANNY
This one very funny. All about
Phnom Penh at night. Very popular.
115 INT.
NICK’S BEDROOM. NIGHT
PATRICE, dressed, lies on her
bed, staring at the ceiling; thinking. She remembers something. Her eyes light
up. She swings her legs out of bed and rushes into:
116 INT.
LIVING ROOM. NICK’S APARTMENT. NIGHT
PATRICE searches through
cupboards, drawers, underneath a couch, looking for something; frustrated she
can’t find it.
117 EXT.
STREET BAR. DOWNTOWN PHNOM PENH. NIGHT
STAIR drinks the last of a
schooner of beer as he talks to TILDA on his iPad - propped up in front of
him.
TILDA
Why did you choose that story?
STAIR
Sorry, I wasn’t...(thinking)
TILDA
She knows that...something is not
right about Nick’s death.
STAIR
There are lots of things that are
not ‘right’.
TILDA
Like?
STAIR
I’ll tell you tomorrow.
STAIR signals to a WAITRESS to
bring him another beer.
STAIR
How are you going?
TILDA makes a so-so gesture.
TILDA
It hasn’t sunk in. It doesn’t
feel real. The phone rings and I think “Oh, that will be...”
STAIR
You spoke to Nick recently?
TILDA
No. You know what I mean. (A
BEAT) And the deal?
STAIR makes a so-so hand gesture
in front of the iPad.
STAIR
It’ll be OK.
TILDA
Phil from the bank called.
STAIR
Phil? (A BEAT) OK, right...At
home?
TILDA
He said he’d been trying to
contact you and...
STAIR
You told him I’m in Cambodia,
right? (A BEAT) And why?
TILDA
For the last three weeks!
STAIR
I’ve been flat out with this
deal. You know that.
TILDA
Do we have a problem?
STAIR
No
TILDA
No, we don’t have a problem or,
“No, I don’t want you to worry about the problem we have”?
STAIR
There’s no need to worry about
it.
TILDA
So we do have a problem?
STAIR
Cash flow. It’s not a problem.
TILDA
Really?
STAIR
Really.
VANNY approaches, stands closeby,
trying to catch STAIR’S attention. He ignores her.
TILDA
Have you been gambling?
STAIR
No.
TILDA
You sure?
STAIR
Unless I am suffering serious
short term memory loss, yes. I mean, no I haven’t been.
TILDA
Promise.
STAIR
Promise.
TILDA
The last time you promised...
STAIR
The last time was the last
time... ’L-A-S-T’
TILDA
OK.
STAIR
Girls awake.
TILDA
Just put them down.
STAIR
Give them both a kiss from me.
TILDA
And me?
STAIR glances at VANNY. She
smiles, looks at her watch as if to say: “how much longer are you going to be?”
STAIR
You get two kisses. Three.
Four...and tomorrow night...no, the following night...a surprise!
TILDA
Is it about yea big?
She holds her hands 7 or 8 inches
apart.
STAIR
You are a wicked woman, Mrs
Morecombe. Love you.
TILDA
Love you too. Love you
three...four.
STAIR kisses the screen of his
iPad, switches it off. VANNY frowns, shakes her head.
VANNY
Wierd! Kissing an iPad.
STAIR
My wife.
VANNY
You married an iPad!?
STAIR laughs.
VANNY
You buy my book?
VANNY holds out a book.
STAIR
Can’t read.
VANNY
Liar.
STAIR
Don’t need a book. Don’t want a
book. No.
VANNY
Your mouth says no but your eyes
say ‘yes’.
STAIR
My eyes are lying.
VANNY
You not buy my book I cannot buy
food for my granny.
STAIR holds his hand up playfully
to shut her up. VANNY puts her hand up, gives him a high five. STAIR laughs.
VANNY
The word for ‘no’ is ‘awt tay’.
VANNY places her tray of books on
Stairs table.
STAIR
Awt tay.
VANNY
And the word for ‘yes’ is ‘bart’
if...
STAIR
Bart
VANNY
No, you say ‘bart’ for boy but
for girl you must say ‘Jah’.
STAIR
Jah
VANNY (smiles)
So, you buy my book.
STAIR
No...awt tay... (He thinks for a
moment)...but I’ll give you a dollar if you tell me where I can find a casino.
VANNY
What the name casino?
STAIR
It has no name.
VANNY
Chinaman casino?
STAIR (nods)
Chinaman.
VANNY
Five dollars.
STAIR
Four dollars.
VANNY
Three dollars.
STAIR
OK, three dollars.
VANNY takes a pen and school text
book from her tray of books.
VANNY
I draw you map.
STAIR
You speak very good English.
VANNY draws a map as she talks.
STAIR is captivated by her.
VANNY
I study hard..., yul
prom...that’s ‘OK’ in Khmer...
STAIR
Yul Prom
VANNY
...if you go up this street, turn
left...walk up...and right here....it doesn’t look like a casino from the
outside but...
STAIR
How do you know what a casino looks
like inside?
VANNY
I might be young but I’m not
stupid.
STAIR
I can see that.
VANNY
OK, now the three dollars.
STAIR reaches into his pocket,
takes out a small plastic bag with the burnt remains of a yellow mobile phone.
He looks at it for a moment, thinking, before reaching into his pocket again
and taking out 3 dollars:
VANNY
If you want to talk to me some
more it cost you two more dollars and if you want to take my photo that will be
another dollar and...
STAIR (laughs)
Thank’s Vanny. Here’s $5 and you
don’t even have to talk to me anymore.
VANNY
Good. (She beams a big smile)
Next time I talk to you for free, OK?
STAIR
Yul prom.
STAIR holds up his hand. VANNY
holds up hers: high five!
118 INT.
NICK’S LIVING ROOM. NIGHT
PATRICE stands in the middle of
the Living Room; thinking. Her eyes light on the bottle of Port. She picks it
up, walks fast with it into the kitchen.
119 INT.
KITCHEN. NICK’S APARTMENT. NIGHT
PATRICE upends the bottle, pours
its contents into the sink. When it is empty she shakes it hard. After a little
more shaking, a small package tightly wrapped in plastic falls into the sink.
PATRICE unwraps it to find a tiny USB device.
120 EXT.
SHOP. PHNOM PENH STREET. NIGHT
STAIR, Vanny’s map in hand, walks
up to a nondescript shop selling a variety of grocery-style goods. A middle
aged MAN IN A WHITE T-SHIRT beckons him. STAIR follows.
121 INT.
STAIR WELL. NIGHT
STAIR follows the MAN IN A WHITE T-SHIRT up three flight of a
grimy stair well, at the top of which there is a non-descript door. The MAN IN A WHITE T-SHIRT opens it.
122 INT.
CASINO. NIGHT
A smile appears on STAIR’S face
as he takes in:
The interior of a gaudy casino:
red carpet, gold-rimmed mirrors, chandeliers, roulette wheels, backgammon
tables etc - all that one would to expect to find in Las Vegas.
The PATRONS, well dressed,
represent the nations of the world but there is a preponderance of CHINESE MEN.
Scantily clad KHMER WAITRESSES in
high heels circulate - taking drink orders and delivering colourful cocktails.
Immaculately dressed and groomed
COURTESANS are on the lookout for customers.
CHANTOU, early 20s, walks up to
STAIR, the happiest smile on her face. She takes his hand.
CHANTOU
Come, Mr Handsome Man.
STAIR allows her to lead him by
the hand towards a table on the other side of the room.
CHANTOU
You looking for a lady?
STAIR
You know where I can find one?
CHANTOU laughs, places her hand
on STAIR’S knee.
123 INT.
LIVING ROOM. NICK’S APARTMENT. NIGHT
PATRICE presses ‘play’ on her laptop.
Nick appears onscreen.
NICK
If you
are watching this, my darling, it means that I am dead. My apologies. Not my
choice. I hope you are OK. No, I hope you are devastated...you know what I
mean. Anyhow, if you...someone ...wants to find out who killed me...and I do
hope my death was relatively painless...I have to tell you a few things
that...well, they might come as a bit of a shock. I am sorry to do this to you
but...context is important. OK, when I first came to Cambodia...
...to be continued...
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