INT. DAY – POLICE INTERROGATION ROOM
The rain hits the only window in
the room with ferocity. Nothing can be seen outside because of a heavy haze.
The camera moves away from the window and settles on a corner, watching
the center of the room. There’s a large table and two chairs, a pasty white guy
is seating in one of them. No one sits in the other chair.
The man lays his head on the table, apparently crying but there are no
tears on his face. The door to the outside opens. It’s a policeman. He’s very tall,
black and carries a gun on his belt.
DETECTIVE
MARKO
You
sure were difficult to pick up, Vince.
The detective sits on the empty
chair. He grabs a pack of cigarettes from his chest pocket, pulls one out and
offers it to Vince.
DETECTIVE
MARKO
Wake
up, man.
Vince raises his head. His eyes
are red. He looks pale and desperate. He grabs the cigarette. Marko pulls out a
lighter from the cigarette pack and lights Vince’s smoke. He inhales once and
clearly enjoys the taste of it.
DETECTIVE
MARKO
Now,
where’s the girl?
Her
dad’s here, Vince.
Vince looks at the door, nervous. Marko sits back on his chair, crossing
his arms and looking straight at Vince, who looks like a trapped mouse.
DETECTIVE
MARKO
We
know everything, Vince. We know what you did to them.
To
her. We just need you to help us find her.
But Vince doesn’t seem to mind the presence of the detective. He
suddenly stands up and walks towards the window. He stays there, looking at the
rain, not saying a word.
Marko’s fingers start playing with the cigarette pack.
DETECTIVE
MARKO
Did
you know her dad is congressman Walters?
The
one whose face is all over town, seeking reelection?
(For
a second, he waits for an answer)
He’s
calm right now. If he gets mad, you’re fried.
But Vince keeps looking out the window. The drops of water hit the glass
hard but the man doesn’t seem startled or annoyed. He just looks at the rain in
the most peaceful way.
Then, he starts mumbling.
DETECTIVE
MARKO
What’s
that?
Marko stands up from his chair and walks towards Vince, who’s still
talking under his breath.
The men are separated then by a few meters but Marko does not understand
what Vince is saying. He mumbles as if he was repeating things to himself, not
to really talk with anyone.
DETECTIVE
MARKO
Hey!
Stop it! You’re dyin’, dumbass!
Don’t
you wanna save your ass?
Vince remains unresponsive. He
keeps repeating, mumbling. His cigarette is consuming itself on his hand.
Detective Marko closes his fists, ready to be harder on Vince than he
was authorized to. But he refrains. A muted sound enters the room from outside.
DETECTIVE
MARKO
I
can make them see you’re not well.
You
don’t have to die, Vince.
Vince then turns around and looks at Marko straight in the eye. He
smiles softly. He walks one step towards the detective. He then reaches out
with one hand, caressing Marko on the cheek.
VINCE
But
I do have to die. You know that.
Marko looks scared. He cannot
move away from Vince. He stares at the criminal, but does not seem to know what
to do next.
VINCE
And
she will have to die too.
You
also know that.
His hand caresses Marko further,
feeling his three-day stubble. His smile grows, making his face look weirdly
deformed. If he looked pale and lanky before, he now looks insane.
VINCE
Tell
the congressman to make the arrangements.
Vince pulls back his hand. Marko seems to be able to move now. He turns
around suddenly towards the door but it opens before he can reach it. A woman
stands there, dripping water.
OFFICER
GARCIA
Sorry
to interrupt, sir.
DETECTIVE
MARKO
(Looking
back at Vince)
It’s
ok. What is it?
OFFICER
GARCIA
Sir,
it’s the congressman.
Marko turns his attention to her, his eyes wide open.
OFFICER
GARCIA
He
said he was going for a coffee.
But
some officers saw him running towards the street,
without
his coat.
Vince chuckles. Marko looks at him again but his face goes back to
Garcia in a second.
DETECTIVE
MARKO
What
happened?
OFFICER
GARCIA
(Nervous)
We
went after him. He seemed out of his mind.
He
didn’t look before crossing and…
Marko understands. Vince starts laughing, first slowly but then faster
and louder. The detective seems to be losing his patience.
OFFICER
GARCIA
We
found this on him.
(She
pulls out a cellphone from her coat)
It’s…
Marko takes the cellphone without asking. He looks at it and sees
something he would have wanted not to see.
On the screen, a live feed is still ongoing. The camera is apparently
under water and, for a moment, you cannot see much.
Then, a head tilts forward and it becomes noticeable. It’s the face of a
young woman. She’s clearly dead, having turned purple already.
Garcia takes the cellphone back, saying something about evidence.
Marko’s head turns. He walks towards the chair and drops there. He grabs his
head, it hurts. Vince’s laughter is loud.
VINCE
I
had to do it Marko.
You
knew. You always knew.
Marko looks at him, his eyes a bit watery. He looks at Vince laughing
but doesn’t seem to have the same power and stability than before. He looks
lost, confused even.
Two policemen enter the room and pull Vince out of it. Marko looks how
the man is dragged out, how he’s still laughing. Finally, a tear runs down
Marko’s face. The men leave and he’s alone with that tear.
The rain punches hard on the glass.
