1 EXT. ORPHANAGE. DAY
Angela’s
MOTHER, early 20s, reaches up to the lower branches of a large tree with red
flowers, picks one, crouches close to YOUNG Angela (aged 4); places the flower
behind her ear.
YOUNG Angela
smiles happily until she registers the tears in her mother’s eyes. She wraps
her arms around her mother’s neck. Angela’s mother turns, looks at two
out-of-focus figures standing closeby. Young Angela turns to look at them also,
then back to her mother, who speaks to her in Khmer.
ANGELA’S MOTHER
I will
be back soon.
Young
Angela nods but doesn’t understand. Her mother kisses Angela on the cheek
stands, walks a few paces away, turns back; waves. Young Angela mimics her
mother’s hand wave and watches as she fades slowly; dissolving into thin air.
The two
shadowy figures walk up to Young Angela. One takes her hand, leads her to the
gates leading into the orphanage.
Young
Angela looks back to the tree with the red flowers; to the space where her mother
stood a moment ago. She is gone.
Close on
Young Angela’s confused face.
Out of a
silence interrupted only by the sound of insects the overloud sound of creaking
floorboards intrudes.
2 INT. NICK’S BEDROOM. NIGHT
Angela
wakes up; disoriented. She sits up; the sarong falling away from her body.
Again the sound of creaking floorboards.
ANGELA
Nick?
STAIR’S VOICE
No.
Stair.
The
reality of what has happened, hits her hard.
Stair
appears in the doorway, sees she is naked; turns away.
3 INT. LIVING ROOM. NICK’S
APARTMENT. NIGHT
Stair
stands in front of Nick’s Nest of Vipers collage, glass of wine in hand, his
attention focused on the photo of Wing Chou with a dart protruding from his
eye.
Angela
appears in the doorway, adjusting her sarong.
ANGELA
Nick
didn’t call you a cunt.
STAIR
I’ve
been called worse.
ANGELA
What’s
worse than ‘cunt’?
STAIR
No cunt.
(A BEAT) Sorry, that was below the belt.
Angela
smiles.
ANGELA (voice over)
Am I
allowed to say ‘cunt’ on TV?
4 NICK’S
APARTMENT, LIVING ROOM. DAY
Another
day. Angela is being interviewed by Katie and Todd.
KATIE
The
broadcaster will bleep out the ‘c’ word.
ANGELA
Not the
‘c’ word, Katie. Cunt.
KATIE
I hate
that word.
ANGELA
Really!
Why? I love my cunt. Do you, Katie? Love your cunt? Does Todd?
Katie is
lost for words. Todd smiles; glances at Katie. She has turned bright red.
KATIE
Can we
just...(continue)?
Angela
is a little drunk.
ANGELA
I think
I am drunk. I know I am drunk. Fuck.
Angela
stares into space, finishes her glass of wine, looks at her empty glass.
KATIE
We can
call it a day, if you like?
ANGELA
No, it’s
OK. (A BEAT) Do you... (want a drink?)
Katie
shakes her head. Angela reaches for the bottle of wine; refills her glass;
raises it in a toast.
ANGELA
In vino
veritas.
KATIE
Sorry!
ANGELA
‘In wine
there is wisdom.’
Angela
puts her glass down, composes herself, moves her mouth close to the radio mike
pinned to her shirt.
ANGELA
Next
question.
KATIE
You’d
just woken up...?
ANGELA
We
talked about Nick, we argued... about Nick...and then...I saw the photos Stair
had taken of...the skeleton... and we...I lost the plot and we fought...
(Angela
pauses a long moment)
...it
got pretty physical... and then Balin Meas turned up with the gun and scared
the shit out of us...
KATIE
Physical!?
(Angela
nods)
In what
way?
ANGELA
Stair
probably told you, right?
KATIE
We want
to hear your version.
ANGELA
What do
these...details have to do with ...anything?
KATIE
Maybe
they don’t but we’d like to have as many options open to us in the editing room
as possible.
Angela
thinks about this for a moment; mouths the word ‘options’ - a thought forming
in her brain that she can’t bring into focus.
ANGELA
What’s
Stair’s ‘version’?
KATIE
That you
tried to kiss him.
(Angela
laughs)
Did you?
ANGELA
Fuck
yes! I’d lost the plot... you’ve no idea what adrenalin does to your libido. I
was...fuck! What am I...(saying)?
(Referring
to the camera)
Can you
turn that fucking thing off for a moment?
Katie
nods, leans forward, pretends to turn off the camera.
Close on
the flip out screen of the camera. It is switched on; the time code rolling.
Angela’s face fills the frame.
ANGELA
You’ll
edit that last bit out, right? About the kiss...I don’t want...?
Angela
looks at Todd and Katie enquiringly.
ANGELA
This is
my life, right?
(Katie
nods)
And if I
am going to bare my ‘soul’...to...
(She
points at the camera)
I need
to be able to trust you not to...screw me. OK?
Katie
and Todd both nod.
KATIE
But you
wanted to screw Stair, right?
Angela
laughs, sips on her wine.
ANGELA
A girl
is entitled to her secrets.
5 INT. LIVING ROOM. NICK’S
APARTMENT. NIGHT
Angela’s
point of view, from where she lies on the floor, looking up at Stair kneeling
astride her, his hands holding her wrists firmly against the floor.
Their
heads are close together. They stare into each others eyes - both breathing
deeply, exhausted by their struggle. There is ‘madness’ in Angela’s eyes.
Angela
lifts her head, parts her lips slightly, as if wanting to be kissed.
Stair
moves his lips close to hers. As their lips meet, Angela bites Stair. Stair
jerks his head back: “ouch”
Angela
glares at him, a strange mad lust in her eyes, raises her head, mouth open,
ready to kiss him; wanting to kiss him.
The
sound of Angela singing:
ANGELA (singing off)
“There’s
a fine line between pleasure and pain. You’ve done...”
6 EXT. OUTDOOR BAR. NIGHT
Later
that night, Angela and Katie sit together in an outdoor bar. ‘Girlie’ bars
abound. Angela, glass of wine in hand, lost in her memories, sings drunkenly:
ANGELA (singing off)
“...it
once, you can do it again...”
KATIE
Sorry,
you’ve lost me.
ANGELA
I’ve
lost me, too. There may be wisdom in a little wine but too much...
Angela
sips her wine looks away for a long moment; thinking.
ANGELA
Truth
is...I was ready to fuck Nick’s brother! Who I hated. With a passion. (A BEAT)
Weird, eh!? I was mad, yes, but... wet...you understand? With... lust. I didn’t
know you could grieve...to be so sad, lonely and desperate that you want to die
and also...also...to feel...incredibly horny.
Angela
takes another slug of her wine. She is very drunk.
ANGELA
Adrenalin
is a strange aphrodisiac.
I didn’t
know that.
(She
turns to Katie)
Did you,
Katie?
(Katie
shakes her head)
I could
have fucked the next man who came in the door. Stair...Balin Meas...No problem.
KATIE
The next
woman?
Angela
frowns playfully, wags her finger at Katie; shakes her head: “Don’t go there!”.
KATIE
You did
say ‘warts and all’!
ANGELA
Yes, I
know what I said...I’m really beyond caring what anyone thinks of me. Of my
‘warts’. But I have a mother. And a father. And if they heard me... talking
like this... they’d care. Believe
Me...They’re Christians. And not just practicing. They’ve perfected the art of
denial. I’m still a novice.
7 INT. HOTEL ROOM. NIGHT
Todd and
Katie look at a computer screen, on which can be seen, through a slightly
distorted wide angle lens:
Angela,
sitting in the outdoor bar, looking almost directly into Katie’s hidden camera:
ANGELA
I don’t
want to say any of this... stuff...when the camera is running. And there’s some
things I don’t want to say in front of Todd. Like I wanted to fuck Stair.
Animal sex! Don’t ask me why...It makes no sense...I hated him then...but, hey,
love-hate’s the story of my life with men.
Todd
presses pause; gives Katie a thumbs up: “Good work.” Katie has mixed feelings
about her ‘good work’; presses ‘play’. Onscreen, the image sourced to Katie’s
hidden camera:
KATIE (voice off)
With
Gerard?
Angela
sighs; sips her wine.
ANGELA
It is
very seductive...being loved. (A BEAT) I love to be loved. That’s the problem.
Even if I can’t love back. Does that make sense?
KATIE
Being
loved scares the shit out of me.
ANGELA (laughs)
Not
being loved scares the shit out of me.
Todd presses
‘pause’, looks at Katie; eyebrows raised.
TODD
Really?
Katie
waves his question away.
KATIE
We’re
working!
TODD (nods)
OK, lets
get back to...Nick’s telephone.
(He
consults his notes)
Time
code...
Angela
is already fast-reversing through the time line. Todd’s eyes are on her face.
She ignores him; finds the relevant spot; presses ‘play’. Angela talks to
camera onscreen:
ANGELA
My gut
feeling was that Stair and Meas were bullshitting me about Nick’s phone
but...it was just a feeling...an intuition...
8 EXT. TROPICAL GARDEN. NICK’S
APARTMENT. NIGHT
Stair,
Angela and Balin Meas talk.
BALIN MEAS
I am
sorry, Miss Angela. There was no mobile phone. Not that we found.
This
makes no sense to Angela. She turns to Stair.
STAIR
Gasoline
burns at more than 800 degrees centigrade. It would have melted.
ANGELA
So, the
same fire that didn’t melt Nick’s laptop melted his mobile?
STAIR
It seems
so.
Angela
stares at him for a long moment; signals to Stair that she wants to talk with
him; opens the sliding door.
9 INT. LIVING ROOM. NICK’S
APARTMENT. NIGHT
Angela
walks in, signals to Francoise that she wants to talk alone with Stair.
Francoise nods, walks into the tropical garden; joins Balin Meas; closes the
sliding door.
ANGELA
Was Nick
in some kind of trouble? A couple of years ago? With the police?
Stair
looks at her; his face betraying nothing.
ANGELA
He was,
wasn’t he?
STAIR
If he
told you he was, I guess he was. Nothing I know about!
In the
background Balin Meas can be seen answering his mobile; nodding as he listens.
ANGELA
You are
so fucking infuriating, Stair! No, he didn’t tell me. He wouldn’t tell me. I
picked up clues, asked him about... whatever it was. The police were involved.
And a girl, I think. Underage. He said it was ‘nothing’. Now I am asking you.
Was Nick’s ‘nothing’ the same as your ‘nothing’?
STAIR
Some
sleeping dogs are best left to lie, Angela.
ANGELA
Lie!
That’s what he did. He lied. He wasn’t a
good liar, Nick. He was a fucking hopeless liar!
STAIR
Or so
good you never picked it!?
ANGELA
Cunt.
STAIR
Groundhog
Day.
ANGELA
Groundhog
Day.
STAIR
The
family dog. (A BEAT) That’s what he wanted to talk about.
Angela
is gobsmacked; doesn’t know what to say. The sliding door opens and Balin Meas
appears; very apologetic. He walks in, closely followed by Francoise.
BALIN MEAS
Please
excuse me for intruding, but I must leave. I have some matters I must attend
to.
ANGELA (nods)
Before
you...(go)...the house where the young girl Nick and I saw being led into...did
you...find out anything?
BALIN MEAS
Yes, I
am sorry, I forgot to tell you. It is owned by a company that is owned by a
company that...it is not possible for find who owns the company in Cambodia.
STAIR
Is it
possible to find where the company that owns the company that owns the company
is registered?
BALIN MEAS
In the
British Virgin Islands.
Angela’s
sharp intake of breath catches the attention of
Balin Meas, Stair and Francoise.
Stair
looks at her questioningly. Angela steps closer to the Nest of Vipers collage;
points at a colour photo of the British Virgin Islands with the banner
headline:
“British
Virgin Islands growing rich as a global tax haven.”
Stair
steps closer, looks at the photo of the Virgin Islands, traces a coloured
thread back to a photo of Gerard.
STAIR
Who is
this man?
BALIN MEAS
A very
good man.
A momentary
grimace crosses Angela’s face. Stair notices it.
ANGELA (sarcastic)
A
multi-award-winning humanitarian...
Stair
waits for her to continue. She doesn’t. She takes a sheaf of printed photos
from the printer tray.
ANGELA
The good
news is that she is alive. The girl.
She
finds two photos on Monkey looking out from between legs in the crowd; hands
them to Balin Meas.
BALIN MEAS
Thanks
you. These will help me. And if you have other photos...?
Angela
nods.
A LITTLE
LATER
Balin
Meas stands by the open front door.
STAIR
Thank
you, Meas.
BALIN MEAS
It is my
job. (A BEAT) We will talk in the morning before you leave.
(Stair
nods.)
Now, if
you will excuse me.
He
smiles, nods his farewell to Angela and Francoise; walks out. Stair turns to
Angela
STAIR
Back in
a moment.
He moves
fast towards the front door.
10 EXT. NICK’S APARTMENT. NIGHT
Stair
runs after Balin Meas, calls out:
STAIR
Meas!
(Balin
Meas stops; turns.)
Can I
ask you a question? About my brother?
(Balin
Meas nods)
You know
about his case? The young girl?
BALIN MEAS
Yes. I
was not involved but...I have looked at the file.
STAIR
Was Nick
guilty?
Balin
Meas pauses for a long moment.
BALIN MEAS
I
believe you are a man who would prefer the truth to...
STAIR
Yes, the
truth, Meas, please.
BALIN MEAS
I was
hoping you would not ask me this question, but...
He opens
the concertina manila file, takes out a folder.
BALIN MEAS
Are you
sure?
Stair
looks from Balin Meas to the folder; nods.
BALIN MEAS
Photos.
(A BEAT) The evidence. Entrapment, perhaps, but...
Stair
takes the folder, looks at it for a long moment; not sure he wants to open it.
He does, takes out a 10 x 8 inch photo. We see the back of the photo only.
Stair looks
at it. His facial expression gives nothing away.
A LITTLE
LATER
Stair
stands in the street as Balin Meas’ police car drives off. He is looks at a 10
x 8 photo. We see the back of the photo only. Angela appears in the doorway.
Stair
moves to another photo; looks at it; moves to the next one; distressed by what
he sees.
Angela
walks up behind him.
ANGELA
Meas
gave you some photos?
(Stair
puts them back in their folder)
Can I
see them?
STAIR
You
don’t want to see them.
ANGELA
I do.
Stair
holds up his hands: “No”. This infuriates Angela but she is in no mood for
another fight.
STAIR
Do you
have any photos of Nick at work?
Angela
looks at him, a little puzzled; nods.
11 INT LIVING ROOM. 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.
Angela
watches Stair as he flicks through the photos fast, as if looking for a
particular photo.
Francoise
is in the kitchen area, preparing food - her eyes on Angela and Stair.
Angela
shifts her attention to Balin Meas’ manila folder resting on the desk.
Stair
stops on one photo:
- Nick,
talking on his yellow mobile phone, looking directly into the lens - one arm
outstretched: “I won’t be long.”
STAIR
Did you
give him a hard time about being on the phone all the time?
ANGELA (smiles)
“I won’t
be long.”
Stair
takes a photo of the photo of Nick with his smartphone. Angela watches him;
trying to figure out what he is up to.
ANGELA
Is there
method in your madness?
Stair
smiles. A ‘ping’: a text message.
Francoise
lays the makings of a salad and fruit - pineapple, mangoes, passionfruit - out
on the counter; looks at Stair reading his text message, with Angela closeby
looking at him.
Stair
reads the message; tries to hide his concern.
ANGELA
You
winning or losing?
Stair
makes a so-so gesture with his hand.
STAIR
The fat
lady hasn’t sung yet.
ANGELA
And if
she does?
STAIR
I need
to get on the phone and...
ANGELA
Think
you can talk your way out of...whatever it is?
Stair
holds up his crossed fingers; tries to smile.
Angela
holds up her crossed fingers; smiles. They look at each other for a long
moment.
Stair
breaks the connection; calls to Francoise in the kitchen area.
STAIR
Au
revoir, Francoise. I won’t say it was a pleasure to meet you, but it was an
interesting experience.
FRANCOISE
Meeting
you, Alistair, ‘as be one of zee less intéressant experience in my life.
STAIR (laughs)
The next
time you try a liver kick...
(Stair
kicks out his leg)
...try
not to signal your intentions...
Francoise
holds up her index finger. Stair smiles, signals ‘goodbye’ to Angela, walks to
the door.
ANGELA
Let me
drive you.
FRANCOISE
Merde!
Francoise
glares at Angela, throws her hands in the air, shakes her head. She is pissed
off. She picks up her carry bag; heads for the front door.
ANGELA
Frannie!
Francoise
waves Angela’s plea away; walks out the door.
Stair
opens his mouth to say something.
ANGELA
Don’t
say....(anything)
12 EXT. PHNOM PENH STREET. NIGHT
Angela
drives her 4WD down a street crowded with girlie bars, street vendors, roadside
stalls, beggars - all the richness of night life to be found on a hot Phnom
Penh evening. Stair looks out the window; takes it all in.
STAIR
For how
long was Gerard your ...boyfriend!?
ANGELA
I don’t
know what he was.
13 INT. ANGELA’S 4WD. NIGHT
Angela,
driving, turns to Stair with a self-effacing smile.
ANGELA
A few
months. My “A serious error of judgment.”
STAIR
A
specialist?
Angela
smiles, nods; looks at Stair.
ANGELA
I’m a
slow learner!
(Stair
smiles)
I’m
sorry about what happened...
She
makes a ‘what-happened-earlier’ gesture.
STAIR
For
being a bitch?
ANGELA
I was
provoked. You can be an arsehole, you know that, don’t you?
STAIR
Takes
two to tango, I guess.
ANGELA (smiles)
You a
good dancer?
STAIR
Two left
feet. (A BEAT) Nick was the dancer in the family.
Tears
well in Angela’s eyes. She wipes them away; shifts her attention to the manila
folder resting on the seat between them. He registers her looking at it. She
looks up at him.
STAIR
Your
choice.
Angela
nods, pulls over to the curb outside Stair’s hotel; looks at the folder, picks
it up; looks at Stair.
ANGELA
Can you
choose for me?
(Stair
shakes his head)
A clue?
Stair
looks out the window for along moment; shakes his head. Angela puts the folder
back on the seat.
STAIR
What’s
the name of Wing Chou’s casino?
ANGELA
No name.
It doesn’t exist. Officially. Why? (A BEAT) I know you have a gambling problem,
you know.
STAIR (smiles)
Thought
you and Nick never talked about me.
ANGELA
Nick’s
silences are eloquent. Were. He worried about you.
STAIR
It’s
only a problem when I lose.
(He
smiles)
Otherwise,
its no problem at all.
ANGELA
Except
when...
Stair
holds his hand up: “No.” Angela mimics him.
ANGELA
I’ll add
that to the list of subjects that can’t be discussed with Mr. AliStair
Morecombe.
Stair
looks at her, his face giving nothing away. She returns his gaze for a long
moment. Tears well in her eyes again.
ANGELA
We only
ever danced once.
Tears
roll from her eyes. Stair is not sure how to respond. Angela looks at him,
leans tentatively towards him. He puts his arms around her awkwardly. She
clings tightly to him. He clings tightly to her, his own eyes moist.
14 INT. ANGELA’S 4WD. OUTSIDE
HOTEL. NIGHT
Through
the windscreen of Angela’s 4 WD Stair and Angela can be seen looking at each
other. This in the point of view of:
Vanny,
standing on the pavement; a tray of books around her neck. Stair and Angela do
not notice her. She sees:
Angela
looking up at Stair; their faces close. It seems as though they might kiss.
ANGELA
I don’t
want to be alone tonight.
15 INT. LIVING ROOM. NICK’S
APARTMENT. NIGHT
Angela,
in a big close-up, looks directly at the camera:
ANGELA
Did we
kiss?
In a
wider shot, Angela’s face can be seen on the flip-out camera screen; her own
face in soft focus in the background.
ANGELA
Did we
make love?
Katie
and Todd sit on either side of the video camera.
ANGELA
Did we
fuck?
She
laughs; sips her wine; gestures to the camera.
ANGELA
You’ll
cut that out, right?
KATIE
Did you?
Fuck Stair?
Angela
smiles, shakes her head; wags her finger at Katie.
KATIE
“A
girl’s entitled to her secrets”?
ANGELA
Her
privacy.
16 INT. LIVING ROOM. NICK’S
APARTMENT. NIGHT
Moving
through Nick’s darkened living room; the shot hand-held: the POV of an INTRUDER
with a flashlight.
The
flashlight beam explores the room; focuses on Nick’s desk; tilts up to the Nest
of Vipers collage.
A
‘walkie-talkie’ receiver pinned to the Intruder’s shoulder makes a soft
crackling sound.
The
Intruder moves closer to the desk, pans along it with the beam of light: looking
for something.
The
Intruder’s gloved hand reaches out, lifts some papers gently; looks amongst the
accumulated books, magazines, newspapers but cannot find what is being sought.
The
flashlight beam moves up to Nick’s Nest of Vipers collage, explores it slowly:
A photo
of Terry Swinton with different coloured threads connecting him with other
‘vipers’.
The beam
of light follows various coloured threads to the photo of Wing Chou - a dart
jammed into the iris of one eye.
17 INT. ANGELA’S 4WD. OUTSIDE
HOTEL. NIGHT
Through
the windscreen of Angela’s 4 WD, Stair and Angela, can be seen, their heads
close, looking at each other.
ANGELA
My brain
is...my heart is...
She
touches her heart. Stair looks at her for a long moment; uncertain how to deal
with Angela’s naked emotions.
Angela,
feeling vulnerable, more emotionally exposed than she would like to be, edges a
little away from Stair.
ANGELA
It’s OK.
She
gestures to him: go. Stair hesitates; opens the door.
STAIR
I’ll see
you in the morning before...You going to be OK?
Angela,
her eyes filling with tears, shakes her head.
ANGELA
No, but
that’s OK.
Stair
stands on the street by the open door for a moment; in two minds about parting
like this. He does not notice Vanny standing on the pavement; observing with
interest.
STAIR
I’m so
sorry.
Angela
holds her hand up: “It’s OK”. It occurs to her that she has inadvertently
mimicked Stair’s gesture. She smiles.
Stair
turns awkwardly; walks into his hotel. Vanny walks up to the window; touches
Angela gently on the arm. Angela places her hand on Vanny’s; smiles as best she
can.
18 INT. LIVING ROOM. NICK’S
APARTMENT. NIGHT
The
Intruder searches the apartment; careful to leave everything as it was found;
no evidence that it has been searched. The ‘walkie talkie’ crackles. A voice is
heard:
VOICE
Travelling.
The
Intruder double clicks the ‘walkie-talke’; OK; points the flashlight at the
ceiling as if looking for something.
19 INT. HOTEL ROOM NIGHT
Stair,
sitting on the edge of the bed in his hotel room, looks at the photo of:
Nick’s skeletal hands on the
steering wheel.
He
flicks through to another photo:
Nick talking on his yellow mobile
phone.
He is
faced with a conundrum that he cannot resolve.
20 INT. ANGELA’S 4WD. GIRLIE BAR
DISTRICT. NIGHT
Angela,
her face streaked with tears, drives down a street lined with girlie bars,
outdoor restaurants, vendors, beggars and CAUCASIAN MEN on the prowl. Her POV.
21 EXT. NICK’S APARTMENT. NIGHT
Angela
pulls up outside Nick’s apartment; barely registering the motor bike and rider
closeby doing u turn; driving past - the rider’s face obscured with a full face
black helmet.
STAIR (voice off)
Angry.
(A BEAT) She’s angry. Very...
22 EXT. OUTDOOR BAR. NIGHT
Stair
talks with Tilda on skype in a busy street lined with ‘girlie bars’ etc.
TILDA
I’m
angry. (A BEAT) Aren’t you?
STAIR (hard)
At who?
At what? The universe? (A BEAT) I’m
sorry that Nick died like that but...who should I be angry with.
Tilda
decides against responding to this.
TILDA
The
girls don’t understand. Tina said to Grace, “Uncle Nick has just gone to stay
with God for a bit. He’ll be back soon.” Grace was...she smiled. “Phew”. She
was worried Nick was never coming back.
Stair
nods; at a loss how to respond to Tilda’s raw emotions.
TILDA
“And how
are you bearing up, Tilda?”
STAIR
Sorry.
Vanny
approaches, stands closeby, trying to catch Stair’s attention. He ignores her.
23 INT. LIVING ROOM. NICK’S
APARTMENT. NIGHT
Angela
walks in through the front door, stands in the middle of the room; not sure
what to do with herself.
Something
catches her attention. She is not sure what it is. She sniffs a couple of
times. It is a smell. She is mildly puzzled for a moment before walking to the
refrigerator, opening the door; remembers that there is no wine there. She
thinks a moment; remembers; walks to:
24 INT NICK’S BEDROOM. NIGHT
Angela
crouches beside the bed; finds a half empty bottle of white wine.
25 INT. LIVING ROOM. NICK’S
APARTMENT. NIGHT
Angela
takes ice from the refrigerator freezer, puts it in a glass; pours white wine
over the cubes.
26 EXT. OUTDOOR BAR. NIGHT
A
WAITRESS places a schooner of beer in front of Stair, and a small bowl of
peanuts. He thanks her with his eyes, turns back to Tilda, on his iPad.
TILDA
Want me
to pick you up?
Stair
shakes his head.
STAIR
Miriam’s
arranged for me to be picked up. I’ve got to go straight to a meeting.
TILDA
Fingers
crossed.
STAIR
It’ll be
fine.
TILDA (nods)
I hope
so.
STAIR
Give the
girls a kiss from me, OK?
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
Love
you.
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.)
You buy
my book?
Vanny
holds out a book.
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. She is...
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.
27 INT. NICK’S BEDROOM. NIGHT
Angela
sits on the bed, glass of wine in hand, staring into space. She is an emotional
wreck. The distinctive sound of her mobile phone are heard. She ignores it.
28 EXT. STREET BAR. DOWNTOWN
PHNOM PENH. NIGHT
Vanny
sits beside Stair pulling books one by one from her book tray - holding them
out.
VANNY
So, you
buy this book, Mr Staircase?
Stair
laughs, shakes his head. She tries another. Stair shakes his head, smiles. A
game.
VANNY
If you
not buy my book I cannot feed my granny. She very old and sick. She needs
medicine and...
STAIR
No...awt
tay...but...
(He
thinks for a moment)
...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.
VANNY
I draw
you map.
STAIR
You
speak good English.
Vanny
draws a map as she talks.
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 young
but I not stupid.
(She
holds out her hand)
OK, now
the three dollars.
Stair
reaches into his pocket, takes out a small plastic bag with the burnt remains
of a red mobile phone. He looks at it for a moment; reaches into his pocket
again for his wallet.
VANNY
If you
want talk to me more it cost you two dollars and if you want take my photo one
more dollar and...
STAIR (laughs)
Thank’s
Vanny. $5 and you don’t even have to talk to me anymore.
He takes
a $5 note from his wallet; hands it to her.
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!
29 INT. NICK’S BEDROOM. NIGHT
Angela
lies on the bed, staring at the ceiling; her brow creased with worry; empty
wine glass resting on her chest. She remembers something. Her eyes light up.
She swings her legs out of bed and rushes into:
30 INT. LIVING ROOM. NICK’S
APARTMENT. NIGHT
Angela
searches through the papers on top of Nick’s desk for something; frustrated
that she can’t find it.
She
starts to pull out drawers out; search through their cluttered contents.
As she
lifts a deeply buried folder with ‘Money stuff’ written on it, a photo slips
out. Angela picks it up:
Tilda and Stair on their wedding
day. Tilda wears a white dress; Stair a dinner suit. Very formal. On either
side of them are the bridesmaids - all looking at the photographer.
Angela
slips it back into the folder; places the folder on the desk; annoyed she can’t
find what she is looking for.
Her eyes
light on the bottle of Port. She picks it up, walks into the kitchen area;
upends the bottle, pours its few remaining contents into the sink; shakes the
bottle. A small package wrapped in layers of clingwrap falls into the sink.
Angela unwraps it to find the small purple plastic container. She opens it;
takes out Nick’s diary memory card.
31 INT. LIVING ROOM. NICK’S
APARTMENT. NIGHT
Close on
the cursor moving across a screen filled with differently named folders;
stopping on one entitled DIARY.
Angela
double clicks. The folder opens. There are many icons. Angela scans them,
trying to decide which one to open. She decides on: “This is the end”. She
looks at it for a long moment, her hand playing nervously with the ‘mouse’;
trying to decide if she wants to open it or not.
32 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.
33 INT. STAIR WELL. NIGHT
Stair
follows the Man in a white t-shirt up three flight of a grimy stair well. At
the top there is a nondescript door.
34 INT. CASINO. NIGHT
Stair
stands in the doorway looking at:
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.
Immaculately
dressed KHMER WAITRESSES circulate - taking drink orders and delivering
colourful cocktails. CHANTOU, early 20s, walks up to Stair; takes his hand.
CHANTOU
Come, Mr
Handsome Man.
Stair
allows her to lead him by the hand towards a table.
CHANTOU
You look
for lady?
STAIR
You know
where I can find one?
Chantou
doesn’t get the joke but smiles anyway.
35 INT. LIVING ROOM. NICK’S
APARTMENT. NIGHT
Angela
opens the icon entitled “This is the end”.
With
great trepidation she presses ‘play’. Nick’s face appears onscreen.
NICK
If you are watching this, my
darling, it means that I am dead and trying to figure out who killed me. And
here I am, talking to you from beyond the grave, with my list of possible
assassins...
Nick smiles.
Angela
gasps in shock; presses pause. Nick’s face freezes.
36 EXT. CITY STREET. NIGHT
Monkey
and a FRIEND search through a large pile of rubbish at the side of the road -
placing recyclable plastic bottles in large dirty woven-plastic bags.
In
amongst bags of discarded rice, rotting vegetables, babies nappies etc Monkey
finds a small broken box. She opens it. Close on the contents:
Worn
down tubes of lipstick, eye-shadow, rouge, fake eye-lashes and other women’s
beautifying products.
Monkey
smiles. She calls out to her friend.
MONKEY (subtitled)
Look
Monkey’s
Friend walks up; looks at the contents; smiles.
37 INT. CASINO. NIGHT
Stair
sits at the table with Chantou, sipping a blue cocktail as Chantou strokes his
thigh.
CHANTOU
You are
very handsome.
STAIR
You are
very pretty.
CHANTOU
Not
beautiful?
STAIR
OK,
beautiful.
CHANTOU
I am
Chantou. What is your name?
STAIR
Hello
Chantou. My name is Stair.
CHANTOU
What
means ‘Stair’.
STAIR
My name
is Alistair. Stair is the shortened...my name in short.
CHANTOU
My name
mean ‘flower’ I smell sweet, like a flower.
She
leans towards Stair, her face close to his, presenting her neck for him to
smell.
Closeby,
Quong Tran, the well-dressed and groomed Vietnamese man seen earlier in the
story watching Nick in the street, observes:
Stair
placing his hand on Chantou’s back; smelling her neck; turning her head to him;
smiling radiantly.
38 INT. LIVING ROOM. NICK’S
APARTMENT. NIGHT
Angela,
tears in her eyes, sits in front of her laptop computer - on which the frozen
face of Nick can be seen smiling out at her. She composes herself and, with
some trepidation, presses ‘play’. Nick comes to life:
NICK
I’m sorry for dying on you like
this. Bad timing, eh! Not my choice, of course. I do hope my death was
relatively painless...and I hope you are OK. No, I hope you are
heart-broken...you know what I mean. Are you crying now?
Angela,
crying, nods her head; talks to the screen.
ANGELA
That’s
OK.
NICK
I’m sorry. (A BEAT) Anyhow, you
will find plenty of clues here in this...
(He points at the camera)
...remember you used to make fun
of my ‘diary’? Clues as to who my assassin might be. And I need 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. I’ve told you some of this story
already...how I met Gerard...but I haven’t told you the most important parts.
Brace yourself, OK? Hey, the truth may not set you free but...its a much better
story. When I first came to Cambodia...
39 EXT. PHNOM PENH AIRPORT. DAY
Nick
emerges from the crowded ‘Arrivals’ exit wearing a backpack; a laptop computer
bag slung around his neck.
NICK (voice over)
...my hair was longer, my waist
was trimmer and I was pretty naive...
40 INT. CASINO. NIGHT
Chantou
strokes Stair’s hairy arm; resting alongside her hairless arm. He is enjoying
the attention.
CHANTOU
So
furry. You like massage? I can give you special massage, good!
STAIR
What
makes your ‘special massage’ special?
Chantou
laughs. Quong Tran walks up, gestures to Chantou to leave. As she does so, hers
and Stair’s eyes meet for a moment. Quong Tran sits in her chair.
QUANG TRAN
You
cannot believe anything Kimsong says.
STAIR
She told
me her name was Chantou.
QUONG TRAN (laugh)
Our
‘flower’ girl. Did she offer to open her petals for you? (A BEAT)
My name
is Quong Tran.
STAIR (cool)
My name
is Alistair.
QUONG TRAN
Alistair.
(A BEAT) Alistair, is your Christian name, I think?
STAIR
Yes, but
I am not a good Christian.
QUONG TRAN
And your
family name?
Stair
waves the question away.
WING CHOU (smiles)
I will
call you ‘Mr Smith’. Or ‘Mr Jones’.
STAIR (smiles)
Mr
Smith.
Stair
holds up his hand, shakes his head.
QUONG TRAN
You are
here to play, Mr Smith? (A BEAT) Or for the ladies?
Stair
shakes his head; looks to where Chantou stands, looking at him.
STAIR
Play
with the ladies?
Quong
Tran smiles. A door opens behind him. A HOSTESS, carrying a tray of colourful
cocktails, enters a private gambling room in which Wing Chou sits at a round
green velvet covered table playing a card game with OTHER PLAYERS.
QUONG TRAN
A spy,
perhaps?
STAIR
Yes, a
spy.
The door
to Wing Chou’s private gambling room swings shut.
QUONG TRAN
Do you
mind if I ask you why you are here?
STAIR
Sex. (A
BEAT) My mother and father had sex one night and nine months later....voila!
Stair
makes a ‘here-I-am’ gesture. Quong Tran laughs.
STAIR
And you?
QUONG TRAN
I find
it hard to believe that my mother and father ever had sex, but they must have
because, nine months later...
He makes
a ‘here-I-am’ gesture; smiles.
QUONG TRAN
No, I am
here because I am the manager.
STAIR
The
boss!
Stair
knocks back the last of his blue cocktail. Quong Tran signals to Chantou to get
Stair another cocktail.
QUONG TRAN
And you,
Mr Smith, why are you here? Business? Pleasure?
STAIR
Just
passing through. And a young woman I met this evening told me about...
(He
gestures to the casino)
And I
was curious. I’ve never been in a casino and I thought...
QUONG TRAN
You have
never gambled?
STAIR
A little
poker, when I was a boy. For small change.
QUONG TRAN
You have
never been tempted?
STAIR
To give
my hard-earned money to people like you?
QUONG TRAN
To take
my hard-earned money from me?
STAIR
Hard
earned? (A BEAT) The odds are not stacked against your...guests?
Quong
Tran makes a ‘maybe, maybe-not’ gesture.
QUONG TRAN
There is
no shortage of people who think they can beat the odds.
STAIR
A sucker
born every minute.
QUONG TRAN
Is it
better to be a sucker with the courage to take a chance...
Stair’s
eyes are on Chantou, leaning over the bar as the BARTENDER prepares a blue
cocktail.
QUONG TRAN
…to walk
the tightrope with no safety net to catch us when we fall?
Chantou
turns, smiles at Stair.
QUONG TRAN
Or a
coward, tip toeing through life looking down at the safety net?
STAIR
Does
anyone fall for that bullshit line?
QUONG TRAN (smiles)
As you
say, there’s a sucker born every minute.
Quong
Tran gestures to the gambling tables.
QUONG TRAN
I cannot
tempt you?
STAIR
I don’t
know the first thing about gambling.
QUONG TRAN
There is
nothing to it. Perhaps you can learn.
STAIR
You know
the expression, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks?”
QUONG TRAN
And you
are an old dog?
Chantou,
her eyes on Stair, walks up to him and Quong Tran, laughing together, blue
cocktail in hand.
STAIR
Almost
forty.
QUONG TRAN
You are
well preserved.
Stair
holds up his empty glass.
STAIR
A great
preservative.
Chantou
places a blue cocktail beside him.
STAIR
Thank
you, Chantou. Kimsong!?
Chantou
laughs, places her hand on Stair’s shoulder.
CHANTOU
You
cannot believe anything Quong Tran tells you, Mr Alistair.
Quong
Tran smiles. Stair laughs. Chantou spins on her heels; walks towards the door
leading into the private gambling room of Wing Chou; opens it; walks in. Stair
watches as:
Chantou
stands at Wing Chou’s side, places a hand on his shoulder. The stack of chips
in front of Wing Chou is high. As the door swings shut Chantou looks directly
at Stair.
STAIR (nods)
Remind
me, which is better? Four of a kind or a full house?
The
muffled, distinctive, sound of Angela’s mobile is heard.
41 INT. LIVING ROOM. NICK’S
APARTMENT. NIGHT
Angela
looks at Nick’s smiling face onscreen, ignoring the sound of her mobile phone
for a moment:
NICK
I don’t believe in fate but...
She
presses ‘pause’ as she tries to figure out where her phone is. Nick’s face is
frozen mid-sentence; mid-smile.
She
moves fast to:
42 INT. NICK’S BEDROOM. NIGHT
The
muffled sound of Angela’s mobile is heard as she searches for it. She strips
the sheets from the bed, hears a ‘thump’, looks down, sees her mobile, picks it
up.
ANGELA
Hello
TILDA’S VOICE
Angela?
ANGELA
Yes.
TILDA’S VOICE
It’s Tilda.
Stair’s wife.
ANGELA
Hi.
TILDA’S VOICE
I don’t
know what to say...
The
sound of Tilda crying. Tears well in Angela’s eyes. She walks back towards:
43 INT. LIVING ROOM. NICK’S
APARTMENT. NIGHT
As
Angela walks back into the Living Room; sits at Nick’s desk:
ANGELA
You
don’t have to say anything.
TILDA’S VOICE
I’m....you
must be...I’m so sorry. And...You are in my thoughts.
The
sound of Tilda crying.
ANGELA
Thank
you, Tilda.
Angela’s
eyes focus on the image of Nick smiling onscreen.
ANGELA
How did
you know? About me and Nick?
TILDA’S VOICE
He told
me.
ANGELA
Told you
what?
TILDA’S VOICE
Maybe I
shouldn’t...
ANGELA
It’s OK.
During a
long silence Angela opens the folder with ‘Money stuff’ written on it.
TILDA’S VOICE
That he
loved you.
ANGELA
That he
was in love with me?
TILDA’S VOICE
That he
was in love with you.
After a
long pause:
ANGELA
I wish
he’d told me.
As they
talk, Angela looks at the first few photos in the Money stuff’ folder - of
Tilda and Stair at their wedding.
TILDA’ VOICE
Men.
ANGELA
Men.
TILDA’S VOICE
Anyhow...
44 INT. WING CHOU’S PRIVATE ROOM.
CASINO. NIGHT
A baby
turtle walks across a green velvet gambling table.
STAIR (voice off)
I’ll try
anything once, Mr Wing Chou.
Stair
sits to the right of Wing Chou. Chantou stands behind, between Stair and Wing
Chou. There are FOUR OTHER PLAYERS at the table. Quong Tran hovers - not
playing; just observing.
WING CHOU
Call me
Wing, please, Mr Smith. (A BEAT) Anything?
STAIR
If it
doesn’t hurt me.
WING CHOU
Losing
your money could hurt.
STAIR
“If you
can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.”
WING CHOU
But if
you can’t cook maybe you should not be in the kitchen.
Wing
Chou signals to Quong Tran: ‘cards please’.
STAIR
But if
you are not in the kitchen, how can you learn to cook?
WING CHOU (smiles)
Watching...observing...paying
attention.
Quong
Tran hands Wing Chou a new pack of cards wrapped in cellophane.
STAIR
I’d
rather learn on the job.
WING CHOU
That
could be an expensive way to learn.
Stair
shrugs. Wing Chou unwraps the cards.
WING CHOU
How much
can you afford to pay for your lesson tonight?
STAIR
Is there
a limit of some kind?
WING CHOU
Five
hundred dollars per raise.
STAIR
Per
raise? What’s that?
Wing
Chou and Quong Tran exchange looks. Stair takes out a shiny black credit card.
STAIR
You have
an ATM?
45 INT. LIVING ROOM. NICK’S
APARTMENT. NIGHT
Angela,
her mobile held to her ear, looks at another photo in the Money stuff’ folder:
Stair and Tilda, both dressed in
tennis whites, holding tennis rackets.
TILDA
The boys
had their secrets.
ANGELA
The
boys!?
TILDA
That’s
what their mum called them.
Angela
looks at a another photo of Stair and Tilda:
Tilda in her white tennis outfit,
alone, winking playfully at the person taking the photo.
Angela’s
mobile ‘pings’. She looks at the screen: Missed Calls
ANGELA
Tilda, I
should go. I’ve got...
TILDA
That’s
OK. I just wanted...skype me anytime...
ANGELA
Thanks.
Bye.
TILDA’S VOICE
Bye.
Angela
hangs up; types numbers into the mobile keypad.
ELECTRONIC VOICE
You have
twelve missed calls. Do you want to listen to twelve missed calls now?
Angela
is in two minds about checking them; looks to the frozen smiling face of Nick
onscreen; decides against checking them just now; closes the folder of ‘Money
stuff’ photos; presses ‘play.’
On
Angela as she looks at the monitor; sees and hears:
NICK
I got sidetracked. It’s what
happened next that’s important.
When her
boyfriend appeared on the scene, your ex-boyfriend, Gerard...
46 INT. HALLWAY. CASINO. NIGHT
Stair
stands in front of an ATM machine. He places his credit card into it, presses
the appropriate numbers. A message appears onscreen:
Insufficient
funds
He
presses the ‘balance’ option:
$5,263.
A look
of concern crosses his face as he types in:
$2,000
He is in
the process of getting money out of it as Chantou leans close; speaks softly.
CHANTOU
Be
careful, Mr Alistair. These men. They are not good men.
Stair
nods, extracts a small wad of $100 bills from the ATM.
47 EXT. RIVERSIDE. NIGHT
Monkey
and SEVERAL BOY AND GIRL STREET KIDS sit on the pavement close to the river’s
edge making themselves and each other up with Monkey’s found make-up kit. They
laugh, chatter and thoroughly enjoy themselves.
48 INT. LIVING ROOM. NICK’S
APARTMENT. NIGHT
Angela
sips on a glass of wine mixed with ice as she watches Nick onscreen:.
NICK
So, Ingrid lied about having just
met me but I could tell from the smile on Gerard’s face that he knew and didn’t
care. A little detail that I left out of the story I told you.
Angela’s
phone emits its distinctive sound.
ANGELA
A lie!
NICK
A lie, but only a small one!
Nick smiles mischievously.
Angela
presses ‘pause’. Nick’s smiling face freezes onscreen. She picks up her mobile;
looks at the screen: Nick
She
stares at the screen in shock for a long moment; lifts it to her ear fearfully.
ANGELA
Hello.
(There
is only dial-tone.)
Hello!
She
looks at the screen of her mobile with a mixture of confusion and panic;
hesitates a long moment before pressing ‘call back’. The phone rings and rings
and rings. Then it is answered and a female voice, speaking in Khmer, says
something. It is too faint for Angela to hear.
ANGELA
Who are
you? Why have you got this phone? Hello...hello...
The line
has gone dead. Angela stares at the screen of her mobile; in a state of shock.
49 INT. CASINO. NIGHT
Stair
slaps his black credit card on the table; hands a wad of $100 bills to Quong
Tran, who is the ‘Banker’. He glances momentarily at Chantou, standing behind
Wing Chou, as Quong Tran passes him piles of white, red and blue chips:
WING CHOU
The
white chip is worth $100.
(He
holds up a white chip.)
The ante
is one of these.
STAIR
Ante?
Quong
Tran shuffles the cards. Stair glances at his hands.
WING CHOU
To play
in a round you have to put one of these on the table.
Stair
nods. Wing Chou picks up a red chip. Quong Tran continues to shuffle the cards.
WING CHOU
One of
these
(He
holds it up.)
Is $250.
And one of these...
(He
picks up a blue chip)
...is
$500
Stair
finishes his blue cocktail, signals to Chantou to get him another. He is a
little drunk.
STAIR (nods)
So, is
the limit $500 per raise or per hand?
WING CHOU
Per
raise. With a limit of three ‘raises’.
Stair
looks around the table, does some mental arithmetic; talks to himself.
STAIR
And
three of a kind beats two pairs, right?
Stair’s
mobile phone vibrates on the table alongside him. He looks at the screen:
Angela
He does
not take the call.
50 INT. LIVING ROOM. NICK’S
APARTMENT. DAY
Angela
talks on her mobile phone.
ANGELA
Something
very weird has just happened. Please call me the minute you get this message.
It’s important. Very important.
She
hangs up; sits for a long moment - mind racing.
She
opens the ‘Money stuff’ folder resting on the table in front of her; looks at
another photo:
Tilda, naked from the waist up,
has one arm placed across her breasts as she holds out her bra to the
photographer with the other; pouting playfully.
Then
another:
Tilda, naked, one arm placed
across her breasts and the other held over her pubic region, smiles at the
photographer.
Angela
is processing the significance of the photos as her phone rings. She looks at
the screen: Tilda
Angela
is in two minds about answering the call. She lets it ring as she looks at the
next photo:
Tilda naked, lying on a bed,
looking up at the photographer - whose naked body (holding the camera) can be
seen in a mirror. It is Nick.
As her
mobile rings out, Angela looks at the photo in shock. Her phone starts to ring
again. Angela looks at the screen. A Skype call. She answers tentatively.
ANGELA
Tilda?
Tilda is
vulnerable, confused; an emotional mess.
TILDA
Sorry to
be calling at this hour but...Can I...Did Nick ever....talk to you about me?
ANGELA
All he
told me was that Stair was married to someone called Tilda and that you had two
gorgeous girls.
TILDA
That’s
all?
ANGELA
Stair
was not a subject he wanted to talk about much.
TILDA
I guess
he told you he and Stair had fallen out?
ANGELA
He
didn’t want to talk about it but, yes, I gathered that.
TILDA
Do you
know why?
ANGELA
No. Why?
Tilda
looks way - torn between wanting and not wanting to broach this subject. She
decides against.
TILDA
I don’t
know.
51 INT. CASINO. NIGHT
Stair sips
his blue cocktail, looks at his cards; tries hard to hide how happy he is with
his hand; fails badly. He pushes a red chip onto the table. And then his last
two blue chips.
STAIR
And
raise you one thousand.
Wing
Chou leans forward, pushes one of the chips back.
WING CHOU
Just
five hundred per raise, remember...Mr Smith?
STAIR
Oh,
sorry.
Stair
sips his blue cocktail; looks at his cards; fails to keep the smile off his
face.
One
OTHER PLAYER folds, throws his cards on the table. The Other Players, all
‘poker-faced’ push a blue chip onto the table. Without hesitation, Stair pushes
his last blue chip onto the table. ANOTHER PLAYER folds.
Stair
lays his three kings on the table, smiles confidently.
All the
OTHER PLAYERS, except for Wing Chou, turn their cards face down on the table.
Wing
Chou lays his cards down.
A flush
Stair is
confused. He thinks he has won!
STAIR
That
beats three of a kind?
Quong
Tran rakes all of Stair’S chips towards Wing Chou.
A look
of panic crosses Stair’s face.
52 LIVING ROOM NICK’S APARTMENT.
NIGHT
Angela
stands in front of Nick’s ‘Nest of Vipers’ montage. She holds her mobile up so
that Tilda (on Skype) can see it.
Angela
turns the phone back to her.
TILDA (chocked)
Stair
hasn’t said anything about any...’nest of vipers’. Nothing.
ANGELA
Maybe
he....just doesn’t want to ...upset you?
Tilda
looks at Angela with a quizzical expression; tries to read between the lines.
Angela’s
expression suggests that there is something ’between the lines.’
TILDA (cold)
OK.
Thanks. I have a few questions for my husband.
ANGELA (grimaces)
Please
don’t tell him I told you that?
TILDA
Don’t
worry, I’ll keep your name out of it. I’ll act dumb. (A BEAT) I am blonde after
all. Thanks.
53 INT. CASINO. NIGHT
Quong
Tran rakes all of Stair’s chips towards Wing Chou.
Stair
lets the reality of yet another loss sink in for a moment, picks up his blue
cocktail as if to drink it; looks at his chips (only a few white ones left);
makes a decision; picks up his black credit card, stands, starts to move
towards the door; blue cocktail in hand. Chantou moves to accompany him. Stair
puts his hand up: “Stay” He stumbles out of the room, drink in hand. Quong Tran
shakes his head.
QUONG TRAN
A sucker
born every minute.
54 INT. LIVING ROOM. NICK’S
APARTMENT. NIGHT
Angela
paces up and down, mobile phone in hand; trying to make sense of the
complexities she has been confronted with; moves back to her computer’ stands
in front of it; not sure if she wants to look at any more of Nick’s diary.
She
picks up her phone; finds the number she wants to call:
FRANCOISE
Before
she has a chance to do so, she receives a skype call; presses the appropriate
button: Tilda. She is not happy!
TILDA
He’s not
in his hotel. It’s 3 in the morning and he’s not in his hotel.
ANGELA
Are you
sure?
TILDA
I got
the guy at the front desk to check his room. He’s not there. (A BEAT) Is Stair
with you?
ANGELA
No.
TILDA
No?
Tina and
Grace, in their pyjamas, have just woken up; walk into Tilda’s bedroom
chatting.
ANGELA
He’s not
here, Tilda.
TILDA
Sorry,
it’s just...do you have any idea where he might be?
Angela
hesitates a moment.
ANGELA
No.
TILDA
Please,
Angela, if you have any idea, I’d like to know. I need to know.
Tilda
signals to Tina and Grace to be quiet.
ANGELA
I don’t
know for sure but he did ask me about a casino.
TILDA
Fuck.
TINA
Mummy!
TILDA
Sorry,
sweetheart. That’s a dollar in the swearing jar.
(Turning
back to Angela)
If you
see Stair before I talk with him...Hang on...
(She
turns to Tina and Grace.)
Girls,
can you please...
She
makes a ‘leave the room gesture’ Tina puts her hands on her hips defiantly.
Grace mimics her. Tilda glares at them.
TILDA
Now!
Tina and
Grace turn, flounce out of the room.
TILDA
Are you
good at lying?
ANGELA
No! I’m
a hopeless liar. I turn red and...
TILDA
So was
Nick.
ANGELA
Yes, he
was so bad at it that he didn’t even try.
TILDA
One of
the things I....liked about him.
ANGELA
One of
the things I loved about him.
TILDA (nods)
Anyhow,
I’d rather you didn’t tell Stair I know he didn’t spend the night at the hotel.
If that’s OK?
ANGELA
OK.
55 INT. CASINO. NIGHT
Stair
walks unsteadily back into Wing Chous’s private gambling room, a wad of $100
bills in one hand and his empty cocktail glass in the other. As he sits, he
signals to Chantou to get him another cocktail. She is reluctant to do so.
Stair gestures his insistence. She takes his glass. Stair slaps his black
credit card on the table.
STAIR
I am
feeling lucky. Very lucky.
WING CHOU
Perhaps
we should raise the limit.
Stair
slurs his words.
STAIR
To the
sky.
WING CHOU
Sky’s
the limit?
STAIR
Why not.
Why the fuck not!
The
PLAYER to Stair’s right deals cards. Stair picks his up; seems to have
difficulty focusing on them. Chantou appears at his side with a blue cocktail;
places it alongside him. Stair looks at his cards and, without giving it too
much thought, pushes 5 blue chips onto the table.
Stair,
quite drunk, is very happy with the hand he is holding and does not try to hide
it. He has most of his chips on the table. He takes a sip of his blue cocktail;
pushes the rest of his chips into the centre.
Wing
Chou is the only player still in the game. Chantou looks on with concern; Quong
Tran with interest. Wing Chou matches Stair, indicates to him to show what he
has.
Stair
places 3 Jacks and two eights on the table.
Wing
Chou grimaces, holds on to his hand for a moment before laying out his cards
one by one: 6 of Hearts, 7 of Hearts, 8 of Hearts, 9 of Hearts, 10 of Hearts.
The
smile disappears from Stair’s face.
WING CHOU
Perhaps
this is a good time to finish our game.
Stair
ponders this drunkenly for a moment, nods his assent but then suddenly changes
his mind.
STAIR
No, fuck
it.
He holds
up his black credit card, stumbles to his feet; picks up his blue cocktail,
takes a sip.
STAIR
One for
the road.
(To Wing
Chou.)
You up
for one last round?
WING CHOU
If you
still have money to lose I am happy to take it.
Stair
chuckles, holds his index finger aloft as he stands (”I’ll be back in a
minute”); stumbles towards the door. When he gets to it he turns.
STAIR
Never
say die.
56 INT. HALLWAY. CASINO. NIGHT
Stair
stumbles back into the hallway, walks up to the ATM machine; places his credit
card in the ATM, goes through the motions of pressing in the appropriate
numbers; looks at the screen, brings his hands to his head: ‘freaking out’
From the
perspective of a security camera Stair can be seen raking his hands through his
hair; as if in a panic.
57 INT. CASINO. NIGHT
Quong
Tran looks at the screen of his mobile phone - on which can be seen:
Stair,
panicking; trying to figure out what to do; drunkenly mouthing the word ‘fuck’
over and over again.
58 INT. CASINO. NIGHT
Wing
Chou hands the deck of cards to Stair. He looks at them, drunkenly, as if he is
not sure how to shuffle them.
STAIR
Hey, can
we have a new pack of cards?
WING CHOU (nods)
Of
course.
He
indicates to Quong Tran to get a new pack. Stair holds up the old pack.
STAIR
This one
has not been kind to me. Maybe...
Quong
Tran hands a new pack of cards to Stair. He has a little trouble removing the cellophane.
STAIR
Can I
ask you a question, Mr Wing Chou?
WING CHOU
Of
course.
Stair
shuffles the cards amateurishly.
STAIR
If a
businessman...a hypothetical American businessman...came to Cambodia hoping to
make a lot of money fast... you have a lot of money is my guess... what would
be ...the quickest way?
WING CHOU
Playing
poker.
(He
laughs)
But if
the hypothetical businessman is you, Mr Smith, poker is not a business plan I
would recommend.
Stair
laughs, starts to deal cards to Wing Chou.
WING CHOU
You must
deal to the person on your left first, remember!
STAIR
Sorry.
He takes
the cards back, hiccups, starts to deal to the man on his left.
STAIR
And you,
Mr Wing Chou? How did you make your money? Legally?
59 INT. LIVING ROOM. NICK’S
APARTMENT. NIGHT
Angela
sits at Nick’s desk looking at half a dozen or so printed blow-up photos laid
out neatly in front of her. They are in soft focus.
Angela
thinks hard; trying to solve puzzles. She looks further down the desk at the
photo, with cracked glass, of:
Young Nick and Stair, each with
an arm around the other’s shoulder and each carrying a tennis racket.
She
reaches out, places it in front of her with the other photos. She looks at the
arrangement for a moment, stands, moves further down the desk; picks up the
manuscript with “The Boys” written on it and adds this to her ‘collection’.
60 INT. CASINO. NIGHT
Wing
Chou throws two cards onto a table stacked high with chips. They dwarf Stair’s
small pile. The OTHER PLAYERS have ‘folded’. Stair deals Wing Chou two more
cards.
Wing
Chou looks at his cards. And then at Stair.
WING CHOU
We have
a problem, Mr Smith.
STAIR
Yes?
WING CHOU
If I bet
as I would like to
(He
indicates Stairs chips)
...you
do not have enough to cover the bet.
Stair
indicates his black plastic credit card.
STAIR
Don’t
worry. I can cover it.
WING CHOU
Ten
thousand dollars?
STAIR
Ten,
twenty, thirty...
WING CHOU
I have
your word?
STAIR
You have
my word.
He
reaches out with his hand. Wing Chou shakes it.
61 INT. LIVING ROOM. NICK’S
APARTMENT. NIGHT
Angela
has a photo in her hands:
Tilda and Stair on their wedding
day.
She
places the photo back on the table; picks up another:
Tilda in her white tennis outfit,
alone, winking playfully at the person taking the photo.
The
sound of the front door bell buzzing. Angela gets up; walks towards it.
62 INT. CASINO. NIGHT
Wing
Chou pushes a large stack of chips onto the table.
Stair
deals himself two more cards; looks at them for a long moment before picking up
all five cards. He jiggles his leg nervously, taps the fingers of his free hand
on the table; makes an impulsive decision.
STAIR
Raise
you $10,000.
WING CHOU
You’re
sure you have the funds to cover this?
Stair
nods. Wing Chou nods, counts out another $10,000 worth of chips; pushes them
onto the table.
Chantou
has a look of horror on her face. Quong Tran observes the proceedings with the
eyes of a hawk.
Wing
Chou lays a card on the table:
Jack of
Spades
63 INT. POLICE STATION. NIGHT
Balin
Meas, smoking a cigarette looks at a photo of:
Monkey getting out of the white
car at the gate in front of the palatial home.
Other
photos are laid out on the table in front of him - faces circled; notes written
on them.
64 INT. CASINO. NIGHT
Wing
Chou lays the Jack of Clubs alongside the Jack of Spades Jack of Diamonds.
He
cannot help but smile as he prepares to lay down his fourth card. Stair remains
poker-faced.
Wing
Chou lays the Jack of hearts alongside the Jack of Clubs Jack of Spades and
Jack of Diamonds
Stair
looks on in shock. Wing Chou smiles.
Stair
sits for a long moment looking at Wing Chou’s cards - as if defeated. He
glances at Chantou. She looks worried.
The
beginnings of a smile appear on Stair’s face.
Taking
his time, relishing the drama of it, Stair lays out:
10 of
Spades, 9 of Spades, 8 of spades and 7 of spades.
The
smile disappears from Wing Chou’s face. The suspense is almost too much for
Chantou.
Stair
lays out a 6 of Spades.
There is
a deathly silence at the table.
Wing
Chou recovers quickly from his shock; smiles.
WING CHOU
Congratulations,
Mr Smith.
65 INT. CASINO. NIGHT
Stair
talks on his mobile.
MIRIAM’S VOICE
Someone
lent you ten grand? (A BEAT) Talk to me, Alistair. (A BEAT) Poker? (A BEAT)
You’ve been gambling right?
Chantou’s
eyes are on Stair, on the other side of the room.
STAIR
Ask me
no questions...
MIRIAM’S VOICE
You are
an idiot.
STAIR
Yes, but
an idiot who just kept the deal alive.
MIRIAM’S VOICE
So you
got lucky at cards, this time. But cards is what got you into this mess,
Alistair.
(Stair
glances at Chantou; smiles.)
And
poker is not a business strategy! (A BEAT) Are you listening to me?
STAIR
I always
listen to your advice.
MIRIAM’S VOICE
And
ignore it!
STAIR (teasing)
But I do
listen. (A BEAT) OK, here’s what I want you to do...
Close on
Chantou; looking at Stair intently.
A LITTLE
LATER
Stair
walks up to Chantou, two $100 notes in his hand.
STAIR
Thank
you.
He hands
the notes to her. She takes them but does not smile.
STAIR
You have
been my good luck charm.
Chantou
stares at him in a way that makes Stair uneasy.
66 EXT. STREET OUTSIDE CASINO.
NIGHT
Stair
walks away from the front entrance to the casino.
STAIR
I got
your messages but I was caught up with...
ANGELA’S VOICE
That’s
OK. I just wanted...
67 INT. LIVING ROOM. NICK’S
APARTMENT. NIGHT
Angela
stands in the middle of the room; mobile to her ear.
ANGELA
I still
want...
Angela
hesitates, looks back at:
Nick’s
desk, at which sits Francoise; seat swivelled around looking at her.
Angela
makes it clear with a gesture, that she wants to have this conversation in
private.
FRANCOISE (offended)
Pourquoi?
ANGELA (to Stair)
...hang
on.
She
covers the mouthpiece. Angela looks daggers at Francoise. She does not take the
hint.
Angela
turns away, annoyed, walks towards the sliding glass door leading to the
adjacent outdoor garden.
68 EXT. CASINO. NIGHT
Stair
stands alone in the deserted street.
STAIR
Was that
Francoise?
ANGELA’S VOICE
Yes. (A
BEAT) I needed...its not just that I didn’t want to be alone...
Chantou
appears in a pool of light spilling from the casino entrance behind Stair. He
does not see her at first.
ANGELA’S VOICE
I also
needed...
69 EXT. TROPICAL GARDEN. NICK’S
APARTMENT. NIGHT
Angela
closes the sliding glass door. Francoise, in the background, looks at the
photos laid out on the desk.
ANGELA
...someone
to talk to...about... I got a phone call from Nick’s phone.
70 EXT. CASINO/TROPICAL
GARDEN/LIVING ROOM. NIGHT
NOTE: The scene
split between three locations
Stair
becomes aware of Chantou as she walks towards him.
STAIR
It’s not
possible.
ANGELA
I know,
I know, but it happened and... maybe he had two phones so maybe...but it’s
freaking me out...and...I know you don’t think he was murdered but there’s
something I need to show you...Nick’s video diary.
STAIR
Video
diary!?
Stair is
interested in what Angela has told him but is distracted by Chantou, as she
steps close to him - an angry expression on her face; the two $100 bills in her
hand.
ANGELA
I only
found it tonight...and...
Chantou
slips the two $100 bills in Stair shirt pocket.
ANGELA (vulnerable)
Please
come.
Chantou
turns; walks back towards the casino entrance.
ANGELA
Now?
Stair’s
eyes are on the retreating figure of Chantou.
ANGELA
I’ll get
rid of Frannie.
STAIR
OK. Be
there soon. (A BEAT) Can I ask a favour?
ANGELA
Sure.
In the
Living Room (Angela on her mobile in the tropical garden in the background)
Francoise opens the folder with ‘Money stuff’ written on it.
STAIR
If Tilda
calls you...
ANGELA
Why would
she call me?
STAIR
I gave
her your number. She wanted to call you.
ANGELA
OK.(A
BEAT) What?
Francoise
places the photo of Nick and Tilda naked alongside the photo, with the cracked
glass frame, of Young Nick and Young Stair as Stair and Angela’s voices are
heard over:
STAIR
Just...don’t
say anything about... gambling, OK?
ANGELA
OK.
71 INT. POLICE STATION. NIGHT
Balin
Meas’ attention is focused on Armed Guard #1, standing close to Monkey; his
face clearly visible. He holds a magnifying glass close.
He picks
up another photo - one of Angela’s taken at the launch of Wing Chou’s new
island casino/hotel complex.
72 EXT. CASINO. NIGHT
Stair
shouts out to Chantou as she walks away.
STAIR
Chantou!
Wait.
Chantou
stops, turns.
73 INT. LIVING ROOM. NICK’S
APARTMENT. NIGHT
Francoise,
foreground, looks at the photo of Nick and Tilda naked. Angela, in the tropical
garden, opens the sliding door; sees what Francoise is doing; walks fast
towards her.
ANGELA (angry)
Frannie,
that’s private. You can’t...
Angela
reaches out to take the folder from her. Francoise withholds it, holds up the
photo of Tilda and Nick naked.
FRANCOISE
Who is
zis woman?
74 EXT. CASINO. NIGHT
Stair
walks up to Chantou; tries to hand the 2 $100 bills to her. She waves them away.
STAIR
You
don’t want...need...some (money)?
Chantou
shakes her head; refuses to accept the $100 bills.
75 INT. LIVING ROOM. NICK’S
APARTMENT. NIGHT
Angela’s
eyes are on the photo of Nick and Tilda naked.
FRANCOISE
You know
zis Tilda?
76 EXT. CASINO. NIGHT
CHANTOU
Yes. I
want. I need. But not your money.
STAIR
What do
you want?
CHANTOU
I think
you have a good heart.
77 INT. LIVING ROOM. NICK’S
APARTMENT. NIGHT
Francoise
holds up the photo of Nick and Tilda naked.
FRANCOISE
Did you
tell zis Tilda about...
ANGELA
Of
course not! It’s none of my business.
FRANCOISE
Does
Stair know...?
ANGELA
Stop
Frannie! It’s none of your fucking business either.
FRANCOISE
I am
just trying to help you.
78 EXT. CASINO. NIGHT
Chantou
looks at Stair with a mixture of anger and longing.
STAIR
Chantou,
you are a beautiful young woman. You deserve a man with a good heart. I have a
bad heart.
Chantou
smiles, places her hand on his heart.
CHANTOU
You are
a liar.
STAIR
Yes, but
not about...this.
He
places his hand on his heart, close to Chantou’s. She entwines her fingers with
Stair’s.
79 INT. LIVING ROOM. NICK’S
APARTMENT. NIGHT
ANGELA
I’m
totally stressed out..that’s all. Sorry...
FRANCOISE
You need
zee massage.
ANGELA
No, I
don’t need a fucking massage, Frannie. I just want...I just want to be alone
right now, OK?
FRANCOISE
C'était
Alistair on zee phone?
ANGELA
Yes.
80 EXT. RIVERSIDE. NIGHT
Monkey
and several other street kids (mainly girls) sit on the pavement close to the
river’s edge - all made up with rouge, lipstick, fake eye lashes. As they all
look at Monkey taking her small video camera from a plastic bag, Vanny, a tray
of books around her neck, walks up; sits with them.
81 INT. LIVING ROOM. NICK’S
APARTMENT. NIGHT
Francoise,
indignant, confronts Angela.
FRANCOISE
Et vous
voulez que je parte parce qu'il vient? (A BEAT) ‘Ee come ‘ere? Now?
ANGELA
There
are things I need to talk with him about.
FRANCOISE
Et vous
ne pouvez pas parler avec moi about zese things?
Angela
shakes her head. Francoise nods, hurt, picks up her carry bag; walks towards
the front door; opens it.
ANGELA
Frannie!
Francoise
turns. Angela walks up to her.
ANGELA
Please
don’t take it personally.
(Francoise
will not be easily placated.)
Thank
you for...everything...
Angela
puts her arms around Francoise; hugs her.
FRANCOISE
Je
m'inquiète pour toi. (I worry about you.)
Angela
nods; tears in her eyes. Francoise wipes them away.
82 EXT. CASINO NIGHT
Chantou
holds Stair’s hand in both of her own; close to her heart; looks directly into
his eyes as his mobile rings.
CHANTOU
You say
to me you have bad heart. And you say you are liar, so I do not believe you.
Stair
smiles, untangles his fingers; takes out his phone; looks at the screen: Tilda
He
gestures to Chantou, in a friendly way, that he needs privacy. She nods. Stair
moves away; answers the call:
TILDA’S VOICE
Sorry to
be calling so early?
Stair
looks at his watch.
STAIR
Four in
the morning.
TILDA’S VOICE
Shit,
sorry, I thought...
STAIR
It’s
OK...
TILDA’S VOICE
You
still in bed?
STAIR
Just got
up, but I can’t talk now...
TILDA’S VOICE
Why?
STAIR
Except
to say ‘problem solved’. Our...
TILDA’S VOICE
Which
problem? (A BEAT) Have you got someone with you? (A BEAT) In your bed?
Stair
sees Wing Chou and Quong Tran emerging from the casino in the background.
STAIR
No.
83 EXT. RIVERSIDE. NIGHT
Monkey
fast-reverses through the images she has shot (some of which we have seen) and
stops at a shot of:
...herself,
made up, dressed in white, standing in the doorway with the Elegant Khmer
Woman.
Monkey
presses ‘play’:
The
Elegant Khmer Woman pulls the door closed. Monkey is very frightened.
84 EXT. CASINO NIGHT
The
headlights of a car illuminate Stair and Chantou.
TILDA’S VOICE
Then
which problem, Alistair? Your gambling problem?
(The car
drives by.)
Was that
a car going by? In your bedroom.
STAIR
Look,
now is not...
TILDA’S VOICE
Have you
been gambling?
STAIR
No.
85 INT. POLICE STATION. NIGHT
With his
magnifying glass Balin Meas focuses his attention of two men in the background
of a shot that has Terry Swinton in the foreground and Wing Chou in the middle
ground.
As he
moves the magnifying glass close to the figures in the background, one of them
is clearly identifiable as Gerard, leaning close in confidential conversation
with another man who looks as though he could be Armed Guard # 1.
86 EXT. CASINO NIGHT
TILDA’S VOICE
I called
your hotel. At one in the morning. You weren’t there.
Stair
watches Wing Chou and Quong Tran walking towards him.
TILDA’S VOICE
Where
were you?
Wing
Chou and Quong Tran are close now. They are not smiling.
TILDA’S VICE
Stair?
(A BEAT) Can we Skype?
Wing
Chou and Quong Tran are close now. Quong Tran has something in his hand.
WING CHOU
We have
a problem, Mr Smith.
TILDA’S VOICE
Stair!
Who is that?
Stair
hangs up as Wing Chou and Quong Tran walk up.
WING CHOU
Or
should I say, Mr Morecombe?
Stair
registers the switchblade knife in Quong Tran’s hand.
STAIR
And the
problem is?
WING CHOU
You are
Nicholas Morecombe’s brother.
87 EXT. RIVERSIDE. NIGHT
Monkey
and her new street kid friends, Vanny amongst them, look a the flip-out screen
of the video camera:
A man’s
hand appears in frame, beckons to Monkey, dressed in white, standing in front
of the door, to approach.
The street
kids look at the screen - eyes wide open in amazement.
End of
Episode # 5
