23 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 sighs, takes a deep breath.
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 closely
at a 10 x 8 photo. We see the back of the photo only. ANGELA appears in the
doorway behind him.
STAIR
moves to the next of half a dozen in his hands; looks at it; moves to the next
one; is distressed by what he sees.
ANGELA
walks up behind him.
ANGELA
Meas
gave you some photos?
STAIR
replaces the photos in their folder; ignores her question.
ANGELA
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.
24 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 a meal.
ANGELA
shifts her attention to the 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.”
ANGELA
What?
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,
cutting up vegetables, looks to where STAIR reads 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’m fucked.
(He
holds up his mobile phone.)
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.
(Francoise
raises her hand perfunctorily.)
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.
25 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
I will
never forget this smell!
26 INT. ANGELA’S 4WD. NIGHT
ANGELA’S
eyes shift to the folder resting on the seat between them. He turns, sees 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?
ANGELA
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 Alistair Morecombe.
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. 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, tears welling in his own eyes.
27 EXT. ANGELA’S 4WD. NIGHT
STAIR
and ANGELA, in each others arms, inside Angela’s 4WD, as seen from the POV of:
VANNY,
standing on the pavement close to the entrance to Stair’s hotel; a tray of
books around her neck.
28 INT. ANGELA’S 4WD. NIGHT
STAIR
wipes tears from his eyes.
STAIR
I’d
better....(go)
ANGELA
extricates herself from the embrace, touches his cut lip gently with a finger;
looks into STAIR’S moist eyes.
STAIR
See you
in the morning, OK?
ANGELA
nods. He gets out. Hold on ANGELA watching him.
MIRIAM (voice off)
No, no
and no, Stair, listen to me...
29 INT. HOTEL ROOM. NIGHT
STAIR
drinks mini bar whisky straight from a small bottle from the as he has a Skype
conversation with MIRIAM.
MIRIAM
No-one wants to take the risk. No
one!
STAIR
Cowards.
MIRIAM
No, they take one look at the
numbers and can see you are in deep shit. (A BEAT) If I had money, I wouldn’t
lend it to you.
STAIR
nods, runs his fingers through his hair nervously.
MIRIAM
If you’re going to think of
something, it’d better be fast. Ten grand! By Friday. Two days.
30 INT. HOTEL LOBBY. NIGHT
STAIR
walks through the lobby of his hotel carrying his iPad; into the busy street.
31 EXT. STREET IN DOWNTOWN PHNOM
PENH. NIGHT
STAIR
walks along the street lined with girlie bars; past VANNY, a tray slung around
her neck filled with books, trying to sell a book to a MIDDLE AGED TOURIST
COUPLE. She holds up a book for their inspection.
VANNY
This one
very funny. All about Phnom Penh at night. Very popular.
32 EXT. STREET BAR. DOWNTOWN
PHNOM PENH. NIGHT
Across
from a ‘girlie bar’ STAIR finishes of a schooner of beer as he skype-talks to
TILDA on his iPad.
TILDA
wipes tears from her eyes. STAIR signals to a WAITRESS to bring him another
beer.
TILDA
The
phone rings and I think “Oh, that will be...”
STAIR
You
spoke to Nick recently?
TILDA
No.
(She
looks away evasively)
You know
what I mean. (A BEAT)
(Then
back at Stair)
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...called me at home!?
TILDA
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.
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
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.)
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.
VANNY (smiles)
So, you
buy my book.
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. 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 not stupid.
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 to talk to me 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. $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!
33 INT. NICK’S LIVING ROOM. NIGHT
FRANCOISE
and ANGELA sit at a table, the remnants of their meal in front of them.
ANGELA
Thank
you. I needed that.
FRANCOISE
beams a smile at ANGELA; besotted.
FRANCOISE
De rien
34 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.
35 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.
36 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.
Scantily
clad KHMER WAITRESSES in high heels circulate - taking drink orders and
delivering colourful cocktails.
37 INT. NICK’S LIVING ROOM. NIGHT
FRANCOISE,
carry-bag slung around her neck, stands by the open front door. ANGELA, beside
her, holds a glass of wine.
FRANCOISE
Allez-vous
être OK ?
(Angela
nods)
Etes-vous
sûr que vous êtes sûr ?
ANGELA (laughs)
Oui.
FRANCOISE
kisses her on each cheek. ANGELA smiles her ‘thanks’. FRANCOISE kisses her on
the lips. ANGELA is a little puzzled by this but not perturbed.
FRANCOISE
Vous
serez OK?
ANGELA
My
brain...it’s racing...won’t stop.
She
indicates the glass of wine in her hand.
ANGELA
Not even
this will...(stop it)
FRANCOISE
takes the glass, places it on a stand by the door; takes ANGELA’S hand, leads
her to:
38 INT. NICK’S BEDROOM. NIGHT
FRANCOISE
leads ANGELA to the bed.
FRANCOISE
S'allonger.
Sur le ventre...your stomach.
ANGELA
kneels on the bed, prepares to lie down.
FRANCOISE
Décollage
votre sarong.
ANGELA
takes off her sarong, lies naked on her stomach on the bed. FRANCOISE opens her
carry bag; extracts a bottle of oil; places it on the table beside the bed.
ANGELA
watches, bemused, as FRANCOISE takes her iPod out of the bag, connects a
speaker to it; places it alongside the bottle of oil; turns it on. Soothing
music emanates.
ANGELA
What do
you actually do, Francoise? I mean, your job?
FRANCOISE
places a finger on ANGELA’S lips: “Shhh...”
FRANCOISE
Maintenant,
you will ferme tes yeux and abandonner...surrender.
ANGELA
closes her eyes.
ANGELA
Capitulate?
(She
speaks in French.)
Capitulation?
FRANCOISE
I did
not think you speak French?
ANGELA
Just a
few words. ‘Surrender’ is a favourite... Capitulation...
FRANCOISE
Oui. Que
lorsque vous capitulate pouvez-vous l'expérience abandoner...
ANGELA
Yes,
but, I’ve always had trouble surrendering...
FRANCOISE
Shhh...You
must penser à rien...think about nothing.
ANGELA
Nothing,
nothing nothing...
FRANCOISE
slaps ANGELA playfully on the bottom; hard.
ANGELA
Ouch.
FRANCOISE
smiles; pours oil onto ANGELA’S back.
39 INT. CASINO. NIGHT
STAIR,
moving to the bar, observes:
Immaculately
dressed and groomed COURTESANS on the lookout for customers amongst the clearly
wealthy patrons.
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 on the other side of the
room.
CHANTOU
You look
for lady?
STAIR
You know
where I can find one?
CHANTOU
doesn’t get the joke but laughs anyway.
40 INT. NICK’S BEDROOM. NIGHT
Close on
ANGELA, face down on the bed, eyes closed, smiling; sighing with relief.
Pleasant ambient music is heard.
FRANCOISE,
clothed, kneels astride ANGELA’S thighs (ANGELA is naked), massaging her neck
and shoulders.
41 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. STAIR places his hand on her back; sniffs her neck. She turns her head,
smiling radiantly.
42 INT. NICK’S BEDROOM. NIGHT
From a
high perspective, at ceiling level, through a wide-angle lens, ANGELA can be seen
lying naked on her back on the bed. FRANCOISE sits on the side of the bed.
FRANCOISE
stands, packs the massage oil, iPod and speakers into her carry bag. She then
moves back to the bed, drapes Angela’s sarong over her, leans over and kisses
her on the lips. ANGELA is sound asleep and does not notice.
LATER
Close on
ANGELA, sleeping. She is dreaming. It is not a pleasant dream. She awakens
abruptly, sits bolt upright. The sarong covering her falls away. She is naked.
It takes her a moment to register where she is; what has happened. Her
shoulders and breasts glisten; covered as they are in a thin layer of massage
oil. She touches her breast; puzzled for a moment; remembers; is shocked by her
memory.
She
notices a small 3 legged camera stand resting on the table by the bed. She
picks it up; puzzled.
ANGELA
lies back on the bed; staring at the ceiling; thinking; trying to solve a
conundrum.
…to be
continued…
…following
on..
43 INT. CASINO. NIGHT
CHANTOU
strokes NICK’S hairy arm; resting alongside her hairless arm. He is enjoying the
attention.
CHANTOU
So
furry.
Closeby,
QUONG TRAN, the well-dressed and groomed Vietnamese man seen earlier in the
story watching Nick in the street, observes CHANTOU’S overtly sexual stroking
of STAIR’S arm.
CHANTOU
You like
massage? ( BEAT) I can give you special massage, good!
STAIR
What
makes your ‘special massage’ special?
CHANTOU
throws her head back, 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 (laughs)
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; her smile an
overt sexual invitation.
STAIR
Play
with the ladies?
QUONG
TRAN smiles. A door opens behind him. A HOSTESS, carring 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 (laughs)
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
Ahhhh!
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 (laughs)
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?
44 INT. NICK’S BEDROOM. NIGHT
ANGELA
lies on the bed, staring at the ceiling; her brow creased with worry. She
remembers something. Her eyes light up. She swings her legs out of bed and
rushes into:
45 INT. LIVING ROOM. NICK’S
APARTMENT. NIGHT
ANGELA
searches through cupboards, drawers, underneath a couch, searching for
something; frustrated she can’t find it.
In
frustration she pulls a drawer out of Nick’s desk, places it in the desk top
and starts to remove all of its cluttered contents.
As she
tosses aside a 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 beautiful 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; keeps searching; finds nothing. Her eyes light
on the bottle of Port. She picks it up, walks into the kitchen area; upends the
bottle, pours its contents into the sink; shakes the bottle. A small package
wrapped in clingfoil falls into the sink. ANGELA unwraps it to find the small
purple plastic container.
46 INT. WING CHOU’S PRIVATE ROOM.
CASINO. NIGHT
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.
STAIR
I’ll try
anything once, Mr Wing Chou.
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 (laughs)
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, learning.
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 I take it?
47 INT. LIVING ROOM. NICK’S
APARTMENT. NIGHT
ANGELA
presses ‘play’ on her laptop, into the side of which she has plugged the USB
device. 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. Brace yourself, OK? Hey, the truth may not set you free but...its a
much better story. (A BEAT) OK, when I first came to Cambodia...
48 EXT. PHNOM PENH AIRPORT. DAY
NICK,
much younger that we have seen him to date, 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...
NICK is
accosted by a horde of taxi and tuk tuk drivers offering their services. He
ignores them as he surveys the crowd outside the airport. His attention is
caught by an ATTRACTIVE WOMAN waiting with her luggage.
NICK
watches her intently. Hopefully!
The
ATTRACTIVE WOMAN notices him, smiles warmly.
NICK’s
best smile yields only a polite response from the ATTRACTIVE WOMAN, whose
PARTNER walks up and talks to her in a way that makes it quite apparent that
she is ‘taken’.
NICK’S
attention shifts to a 40 year old tuk tuk driver standing closeby. This is KIM
CHAKRA.
KIM CHAKRA
You need
hotel cheap?
NICK
Do I
look like someone who wants a cheap hotel.
KIM
CHAKRA looks him up and down, nods.
KIM CHAKRA
Yes.
49 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.
50 INT/EXT. TUK TUK. PHNOM PENH
STREET. DAY
As KIM
CHAKRA drives, NICK, his laptop resting in his lap, backpack between his legs,
takes in the sights, smells and sounds of the crowded and chaotic streets of
Phnom Penh.
KIM CHAKRA
I am Kim
Chakra. You call me Kim. More easy than Chakra.
NICK
I am
Nicholas Morecombe. You call me Nick. More easy than Morecombe.
KIM CHAKRA (laughs)
You
first time visit Cambodia.
NICK
First
time.
KIM CHAKRA
How long
you stay?
NICK
Maybe
two weeks, maybe two years...
KIM CHAKRA
Maybe
get Cambodia wife.
NICK
It’s not
impossible. (A BEAT) I mean its possible. Anything is possible.
NICK
smiles to himself; takes out a notebook.
NICK, in
the tuk tuk, finishes writing in his notebook:
Anything is possible.
KIM
CHAKRA pulls up at a traffic light. TWO BEGGAR BOYS walk up - hands
outstretched.
NICK
opens his wallet, takes out 2 $1 bills - hands one each to the BEGGAR BOYS.
Their eyes light up. More BEGGAR
CHILDREN arrive - hands outstretched.
NICK
looks in his wallet. No more small bills. Only $20s.
NICK
How do
you say “I have no money.”
KIM CHAKRA
Ach mien
loy.
NICK
smiles at the BEGGAR CHILDREN, shrugs his shoulders.
NICK
Ach Mien
loy.
A BEGGAR
GIRL points to his wallet.
BEGGAR GIRL
You have
twenty dollar!
NICK
Yes, but...
BEGGAR GIRL
We
share...
She
indicates the group of 7 or 8 BEGGAR CHILDREN closeby. He takes $20 out of his
wallet.
NICK
OK...
He hands
$20 to the BEGGAR GIRL.
NICK
You
share, OK?
The
BEGGAR GIRL nods, beams a big white smile, turns to the other kids, speaks in
Khmer.
BEGGAR GIRL (subtitled)
We share
this, OK?
The
BEGGAR CHILDREN nod, holds their hands up in a prayer gesture of thanks to
NICK.
The
lights change. The tuk tuk begins to move off. NICK takes another $20 note from
his pocket, holds it out.
The
BEGGAR CHILDREN, laughing, run to catch up with the tuk tuk as it picks up
speed. A BEGGAR BOY, aged about 11, heads the pack, grabs the $20 note, holds
it aloft victoriously.
NICK
turns to watch the BEGGAR CHILDREN making their way back to the pavement with
their newfound fortune. He smiles.
The
muffled sound of ANGELA’S mobile phone (the opening bars of Beethoven’s 5th.)
are heard over NICK’S smiling face.
NICK (voice over)
Love at
first sight.
51 INT. LIVING ROOM. NICK’S
APARTMENT. NIGHT
Close on
Nick’s smiling face onscreen:
NICK
I don’t
believe in fate but...
ANGELA
presses ‘pause’ as she tries to figure out where her phone is. Nick’s face is
frozen mid-sentence; mid smile.
ANGELA
moves fast to:
52 INT. NICK’S BEDROOM. NIGHT
The
sound of Beethoven’s 5th Symphony continues as ANGELA searches for her phone.
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
I’m
Stair’s wife. Tilda. (A BEAT) I don’t know what to say...
The
sound of Tilda crying. Tears well in ANGELA’S eyes. She walks back towards:
53 INT. LIVING ROOM. NICK’S
APARTMENT. NIGHT
As
ANGELA walks back into the Living Room:
ANGELA
You
don’t have to say anything.
TILDA
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
He told
me.
ANGELA
Told you
what?
TILDA
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.
As they
talk, ANGELA looks at the first few photos in the file - of Tilda and Stair at
their wedding.
ANGELA
I wish
he’d told me.
TILDA’ VOICE
Men.
ANGELA
Men.
TILDA’S VOICE
Anyhow...
There is
a long silence.
ANGELA
Thanks
for calling.
TILDA
I just
wanted...
ANGELA
And I
appreciate it. Thanks.
She
hangs up, saves Tilda’s phone number to her phone book; sits thinking for a
long moment.
54 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’. 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
Fifteen
thousand dollars.
WING CHOU
Don’t
count your chickens, Mr.Smith.
STAIR
And
three of a kind beats two pairs, right?
55 INT. LIVING ROOM. NICK’S
APARTMENT. NIGHT
ANGELA
opens the manila folder; looks at a another wedding photo of Stair and Tilda
and then at:
Stair
and Tilda, both dressed in tennis whites, holding tennis rackets.
ANGELA
is a little puzzled by this. She places the photo on the bottom of the pile and
looks at another photo of:
Tilda in
her white tennis outfit, alone, winking playfully at the person taking the
photo.
Angela’s
phone makes a pinging sound. She picks it up, looks at the screen:
Missed Calls
She
types numbers into the keypad. An electronic voice: “You have 12 missed calls.”
She is in two minds about checking them; looks to the frozen smiling face of
Nick onscreen; decides against checking them just now; closes the manila folder
of photos; presses ‘play’.
56 INT/EXT. TUK TUK. PHNOM PENH
STREET. DAY
KIM
CHAKRA drives.
KIM CHAKRA
What you
job, Mr Nick?
NICK
I’m a
novelist, Kim. (A BEAT) You know what a novel is? (A BEAT) A story.
KIM CHAKRA
Right,
right. What the name your book? Last one?
NICK
I
haven’t written it yet.
KIM CHAKRA
I see.
NICK
My job
is journalist but...
57 EXT. BAR AREA. BACKPACKING
HOSTEL. DAY
NICK
sits at a table in a funky bar in a backpacking hostel, laptop in front of him;
drinking beer and talking with blonde 19 year old German backpacker,
INGRID.
NICK
...when
I grow up I want to be a novelist.
INGRID
When I
grow up I want to be in your novel.
NICK
What
character do you want to play?
INGRID
You
choose. You’re the writer.
NICK
You
could be the backpacker our hero meets in a hostel in...
INGRID
Describe
this girl?
NICK
She is
beautiful...blonde, bold and brassy...German...
INGRID (laughs)
Does he
fall for her immediately or does he play hard to get?
58 INT. NICK’S ROOM. BACKPACKING
HOSTEL. DAY
INGRID,
naked, is sprawled on the double bed in Nick’s small room. NICK’S head is
buried in her crotch, giving her head. Judging by INGRID’S response he is
proficient at the task.
NICK (voice over)
Too much
detail?
59 INT. LIVING ROOM. NICK’S
APARTMENT. NIGHT
ANGELA
looks at the computer monitor. Nick talks to camera; a wicked grin on his face.
NICK
Sorry!
ANGELA
laughs and cries at the same time.
ANGELA
Too much
detail. Cretin. Moron...
NICK
I got
sidetracked. It’s what happened next that’s important.
Angela’s
phone emits the opening bars of Beethoven’s 5th.
NICK
When her
boyfriend appeared on the scene, someone you...
ANGELA
presses ‘pause’. Nick’s face freezes onscreen; picks up her mobile phone, looks
at it:
Nick
She
stares at the phone in shock for a long moment; picks it up fearfully.
ANGELA
Hello.
(There is
only dial-tone.)
Hello!
60 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.
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 sighs, takes a deep breath.
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 closely
at a 10 x 8 photo. We see the back of the photo only. ANGELA appears in the
doorway behind him.
STAIR
moves to the next of half a dozen in his hands; looks at it; moves to the next
one; is distressed by what he sees.
ANGELA
walks up behind him.
ANGELA
Meas
gave you some photos?
STAIR
replaces the photos in their folder; ignores her question.
ANGELA
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.
24 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 a meal.
ANGELA
shifts her attention to the 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.”
ANGELA
What?
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,
cutting up vegetables, looks to where STAIR reads 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’m fucked.
(He
holds up his mobile phone.)
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.
(Francoise
raises her hand perfunctorily.)
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.
25 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
I will
never forget this smell!
26 INT. ANGELA’S 4WD. NIGHT
ANGELA’S
eyes shift to the folder resting on the seat between them. He turns, sees 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?
ANGELA
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 Alistair Morecombe.
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. 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, tears welling in his own eyes.
27 EXT. ANGELA’S 4WD. NIGHT
STAIR
and ANGELA, in each others arms, inside Angela’s 4WD, as seen from the POV of:
VANNY,
standing on the pavement close to the entrance to Stair’s hotel; a tray of
books around her neck.
28 INT. ANGELA’S 4WD. NIGHT
STAIR
wipes tears from his eyes.
STAIR
I’d
better....(go)
ANGELA
extricates herself from the embrace, touches his cut lip gently with a finger;
looks into STAIR’S moist eyes.
STAIR
See you
in the morning, OK?
ANGELA
nods. He gets out. Hold on ANGELA watching him.
MIRIAM (voice off)
No, no
and no, Stair, listen to me...
29 INT. HOTEL ROOM. NIGHT
STAIR
drinks mini bar whisky straight from a small bottle from the as he has a Skype
conversation with MIRIAM.
MIRIAM
No-one wants to take the risk. No
one!
STAIR
Cowards.
MIRIAM
No, they take one look at the
numbers and can see you are in deep shit. (A BEAT) If I had money, I wouldn’t
lend it to you.
STAIR
nods, runs his fingers through his hair nervously.
MIRIAM
If you’re going to think of
something, it’d better be fast. Ten grand! By Friday. Two days.
30 INT. HOTEL LOBBY. NIGHT
STAIR
walks through the lobby of his hotel carrying his iPad; into the busy street.
31 EXT. STREET IN DOWNTOWN PHNOM
PENH. NIGHT
STAIR
walks along the street lined with girlie bars; past VANNY, a tray slung around
her neck filled with books, trying to sell a book to a MIDDLE AGED TOURIST
COUPLE. She holds up a book for their inspection.
VANNY
This one
very funny. All about Phnom Penh at night. Very popular.
32 EXT. STREET BAR. DOWNTOWN
PHNOM PENH. NIGHT
Across
from a ‘girlie bar’ STAIR finishes of a schooner of beer as he skype-talks to
TILDA on his iPad.
TILDA
wipes tears from her eyes. STAIR signals to a WAITRESS to bring him another
beer.
TILDA
The
phone rings and I think “Oh, that will be...”
STAIR
You
spoke to Nick recently?
TILDA
No.
(She
looks away evasively)
You know
what I mean. (A BEAT)
(Then
back at Stair)
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...called me at home!?
TILDA
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.
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
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.)
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.
VANNY (smiles)
So, you
buy my book.
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. 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 not stupid.
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 to talk to me 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. $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!
33 INT. NICK’S LIVING ROOM. NIGHT
FRANCOISE
and ANGELA sit at a table, the remnants of their meal in front of them.
ANGELA
Thank
you. I needed that.
FRANCOISE
beams a smile at ANGELA; besotted.
FRANCOISE
De rien
34 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.
35 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.
36 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.
Scantily
clad KHMER WAITRESSES in high heels circulate - taking drink orders and
delivering colourful cocktails.
37 INT. NICK’S LIVING ROOM. NIGHT
FRANCOISE,
carry-bag slung around her neck, stands by the open front door. ANGELA, beside
her, holds a glass of wine.
FRANCOISE
Allez-vous
être OK ?
(Angela
nods)
Etes-vous
sûr que vous êtes sûr ?
ANGELA (laughs)
Oui.
FRANCOISE
kisses her on each cheek. ANGELA smiles her ‘thanks’. FRANCOISE kisses her on
the lips. ANGELA is a little puzzled by this but not perturbed.
FRANCOISE
Vous
serez OK?
ANGELA
My
brain...it’s racing...won’t stop.
She
indicates the glass of wine in her hand.
ANGELA
Not even
this will...(stop it)
FRANCOISE
takes the glass, places it on a stand by the door; takes ANGELA’S hand, leads
her to:
38 INT. NICK’S BEDROOM. NIGHT
FRANCOISE
leads ANGELA to the bed.
FRANCOISE
S'allonger.
Sur le ventre...your stomach.
ANGELA
kneels on the bed, prepares to lie down.
FRANCOISE
Décollage
votre sarong.
ANGELA
takes off her sarong, lies naked on her stomach on the bed. FRANCOISE opens her
carry bag; extracts a bottle of oil; places it on the table beside the bed.
ANGELA
watches, bemused, as FRANCOISE takes her iPod out of the bag, connects a
speaker to it; places it alongside the bottle of oil; turns it on. Soothing
music emanates.
ANGELA
What do
you actually do, Francoise? I mean, your job?
FRANCOISE
places a finger on ANGELA’S lips: “Shhh...”
FRANCOISE
Maintenant,
you will ferme tes yeux and abandonner...surrender.
ANGELA
closes her eyes.
ANGELA
Capitulate?
(She
speaks in French.)
Capitulation?
FRANCOISE
I did
not think you speak French?
ANGELA
Just a
few words. ‘Surrender’ is a favourite... Capitulation...
FRANCOISE
Oui. Que
lorsque vous capitulate pouvez-vous l'expérience abandoner...
ANGELA
Yes,
but, I’ve always had trouble surrendering...
FRANCOISE
Shhh...You
must penser à rien...think about nothing.
ANGELA
Nothing,
nothing nothing...
FRANCOISE
slaps ANGELA playfully on the bottom; hard.
ANGELA
Ouch.
FRANCOISE
smiles; pours oil onto ANGELA’S back.
39 INT. CASINO. NIGHT
STAIR,
moving to the bar, observes:
Immaculately
dressed and groomed COURTESANS on the lookout for customers amongst the clearly
wealthy patrons.
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 on the other side of the
room.
CHANTOU
You look
for lady?
STAIR
You know
where I can find one?
CHANTOU
doesn’t get the joke but laughs anyway.
40 INT. NICK’S BEDROOM. NIGHT
Close on
ANGELA, face down on the bed, eyes closed, smiling; sighing with relief.
Pleasant ambient music is heard.
FRANCOISE,
clothed, kneels astride ANGELA’S thighs (ANGELA is naked), massaging her neck
and shoulders.
41 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. STAIR places his hand on her back; sniffs her neck. She turns her head,
smiling radiantly.
42 INT. NICK’S BEDROOM. NIGHT
From a
high perspective, at ceiling level, through a wide-angle lens, ANGELA can be seen
lying naked on her back on the bed. FRANCOISE sits on the side of the bed.
FRANCOISE
stands, packs the massage oil, iPod and speakers into her carry bag. She then
moves back to the bed, drapes Angela’s sarong over her, leans over and kisses
her on the lips. ANGELA is sound asleep and does not notice.
LATER
Close on
ANGELA, sleeping. She is dreaming. It is not a pleasant dream. She awakens
abruptly, sits bolt upright. The sarong covering her falls away. She is naked.
It takes her a moment to register where she is; what has happened. Her
shoulders and breasts glisten; covered as they are in a thin layer of massage
oil. She touches her breast; puzzled for a moment; remembers; is shocked by her
memory.
She
notices a small 3 legged camera stand resting on the table by the bed. She
picks it up; puzzled.
ANGELA
lies back on the bed; staring at the ceiling; thinking; trying to solve a
conundrum.
43 INT. CASINO. NIGHT
CHANTOU
strokes NICK’S hairy arm; resting alongside her hairless arm. He is enjoying the
attention.
CHANTOU
So
furry.
Closeby,
QUONG TRAN, the well-dressed and groomed Vietnamese man seen earlier in the
story watching Nick in the street, observes CHANTOU’S overtly sexual stroking
of STAIR’S arm.
CHANTOU
You like
massage? ( BEAT) I can give you special massage, good!
STAIR
What
makes your ‘special massage’ special?
CHANTOU
throws her head back, 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 (laughs)
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; her smile an
overt sexual invitation.
STAIR
Play
with the ladies?
QUONG
TRAN smiles. A door opens behind him. A HOSTESS, carring 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 (laughs)
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
Ahhhh!
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 (laughs)
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?
44 INT. NICK’S BEDROOM. NIGHT
ANGELA
lies on the bed, staring at the ceiling; her brow creased with worry. She
remembers something. Her eyes light up. She swings her legs out of bed and
rushes into:
45 INT. LIVING ROOM. NICK’S
APARTMENT. NIGHT
ANGELA
searches through cupboards, drawers, underneath a couch, searching for
something; frustrated she can’t find it.
In
frustration she pulls a drawer out of Nick’s desk, places it in the desk top
and starts to remove all of its cluttered contents.
As she
tosses aside a 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 beautiful 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; keeps searching; finds nothing. Her eyes light
on the bottle of Port. She picks it up, walks into the kitchen area; upends the
bottle, pours its contents into the sink; shakes the bottle. A small package
wrapped in clingfoil falls into the sink. ANGELA unwraps it to find the small
purple plastic container.
46 INT. WING CHOU’S PRIVATE ROOM.
CASINO. NIGHT
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.
STAIR
I’ll try
anything once, Mr Wing Chou.
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 (laughs)
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, learning.
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 I take it?
47 INT. LIVING ROOM. NICK’S
APARTMENT. NIGHT
ANGELA
presses ‘play’ on her laptop, into the side of which she has plugged the USB
device. 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. Brace yourself, OK? Hey, the truth may not set you free but...its a
much better story. (A BEAT) OK, when I first came to Cambodia...
48 EXT. PHNOM PENH AIRPORT. DAY
NICK,
much younger that we have seen him to date, 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...
NICK is
accosted by a horde of taxi and tuk tuk drivers offering their services. He
ignores them as he surveys the crowd outside the airport. His attention is
caught by an ATTRACTIVE WOMAN waiting with her luggage.
NICK
watches her intently. Hopefully!
The
ATTRACTIVE WOMAN notices him, smiles warmly.
NICK’s
best smile yields only a polite response from the ATTRACTIVE WOMAN, whose
PARTNER walks up and talks to her in a way that makes it quite apparent that
she is ‘taken’.
NICK’S
attention shifts to a 40 year old tuk tuk driver standing closeby. This is KIM
CHAKRA.
KIM CHAKRA
You need
hotel cheap?
NICK
Do I
look like someone who wants a cheap hotel.
KIM
CHAKRA looks him up and down, nods.
KIM CHAKRA
Yes.
49 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.
50 INT/EXT. TUK TUK. PHNOM PENH
STREET. DAY
As KIM
CHAKRA drives, NICK, his laptop resting in his lap, backpack between his legs,
takes in the sights, smells and sounds of the crowded and chaotic streets of
Phnom Penh.
KIM CHAKRA
I am Kim
Chakra. You call me Kim. More easy than Chakra.
NICK
I am
Nicholas Morecombe. You call me Nick. More easy than Morecombe.
KIM CHAKRA (laughs)
You
first time visit Cambodia.
NICK
First
time.
KIM CHAKRA
How long
you stay?
NICK
Maybe
two weeks, maybe two years...
KIM CHAKRA
Maybe
get Cambodia wife.
NICK
It’s not
impossible. (A BEAT) I mean its possible. Anything is possible.
NICK
smiles to himself; takes out a notebook.
NICK, in
the tuk tuk, finishes writing in his notebook:
Anything is possible.
KIM
CHAKRA pulls up at a traffic light. TWO BEGGAR BOYS walk up - hands
outstretched.
NICK
opens his wallet, takes out 2 $1 bills - hands one each to the BEGGAR BOYS.
Their eyes light up. More BEGGAR
CHILDREN arrive - hands outstretched.
NICK
looks in his wallet. No more small bills. Only $20s.
NICK
How do
you say “I have no money.”
KIM CHAKRA
Ach mien
loy.
NICK
smiles at the BEGGAR CHILDREN, shrugs his shoulders.
NICK
Ach Mien
loy.
A BEGGAR
GIRL points to his wallet.
BEGGAR GIRL
You have
twenty dollar!
NICK
Yes, but...
BEGGAR GIRL
We
share...
She
indicates the group of 7 or 8 BEGGAR CHILDREN closeby. He takes $20 out of his
wallet.
NICK
OK...
He hands
$20 to the BEGGAR GIRL.
NICK
You
share, OK?
The
BEGGAR GIRL nods, beams a big white smile, turns to the other kids, speaks in
Khmer.
BEGGAR GIRL (subtitled)
We share
this, OK?
The
BEGGAR CHILDREN nod, holds their hands up in a prayer gesture of thanks to
NICK.
The
lights change. The tuk tuk begins to move off. NICK takes another $20 note from
his pocket, holds it out.
The
BEGGAR CHILDREN, laughing, run to catch up with the tuk tuk as it picks up
speed. A BEGGAR BOY, aged about 11, heads the pack, grabs the $20 note, holds
it aloft victoriously.
NICK
turns to watch the BEGGAR CHILDREN making their way back to the pavement with
their newfound fortune. He smiles.
The
muffled sound of ANGELA’S mobile phone (the opening bars of Beethoven’s 5th.)
are heard over NICK’S smiling face.
NICK (voice over)
Love at
first sight.
51 INT. LIVING ROOM. NICK’S
APARTMENT. NIGHT
Close on
Nick’s smiling face onscreen:
NICK
I don’t
believe in fate but...
ANGELA
presses ‘pause’ as she tries to figure out where her phone is. Nick’s face is
frozen mid-sentence; mid smile.
ANGELA
moves fast to:
52 INT. NICK’S BEDROOM. NIGHT
The
sound of Beethoven’s 5th Symphony continues as ANGELA searches for her phone.
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
I’m
Stair’s wife. Tilda. (A BEAT) I don’t know what to say...
The
sound of Tilda crying. Tears well in ANGELA’S eyes. She walks back towards:
53 INT. LIVING ROOM. NICK’S
APARTMENT. NIGHT
As
ANGELA walks back into the Living Room:
ANGELA
You
don’t have to say anything.
TILDA
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
He told
me.
ANGELA
Told you
what?
TILDA
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.
As they
talk, ANGELA looks at the first few photos in the file - of Tilda and Stair at
their wedding.
ANGELA
I wish
he’d told me.
TILDA’ VOICE
Men.
ANGELA
Men.
TILDA’S VOICE
Anyhow...
There is
a long silence.
ANGELA
Thanks
for calling.
TILDA
I just
wanted...
ANGELA
And I
appreciate it. Thanks.
She
hangs up, saves Tilda’s phone number to her phone book; sits thinking for a
long moment.
54 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’. 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
Fifteen
thousand dollars.
WING CHOU
Don’t
count your chickens, Mr.Smith.
STAIR
And
three of a kind beats two pairs, right?
55 INT. LIVING ROOM. NICK’S
APARTMENT. NIGHT
ANGELA
opens the manila folder; looks at a another wedding photo of Stair and Tilda
and then at:
Stair
and Tilda, both dressed in tennis whites, holding tennis rackets.
ANGELA
is a little puzzled by this. She places the photo on the bottom of the pile and
looks at another photo of:
Tilda in
her white tennis outfit, alone, winking playfully at the person taking the
photo.
Angela’s
phone makes a pinging sound. She picks it up, looks at the screen:
Missed Calls
She
types numbers into the keypad. An electronic voice: “You have 12 missed calls.”
She is in two minds about checking them; looks to the frozen smiling face of
Nick onscreen; decides against checking them just now; closes the manila folder
of photos; presses ‘play’.
56 INT/EXT. TUK TUK. PHNOM PENH
STREET. DAY
KIM
CHAKRA drives.
KIM CHAKRA
What you
job, Mr Nick?
NICK
I’m a
novelist, Kim. (A BEAT) You know what a novel is? (A BEAT) A story.
KIM CHAKRA
Right,
right. What the name your book? Last one?
NICK
I
haven’t written it yet.
KIM CHAKRA
I see.
NICK
My job
is journalist but...
57 EXT. BAR AREA. BACKPACKING
HOSTEL. DAY
NICK
sits at a table in a funky bar in a backpacking hostel, laptop in front of him;
drinking beer and talking with blonde 19 year old German backpacker,
INGRID.
NICK
...when
I grow up I want to be a novelist.
INGRID
When I
grow up I want to be in your novel.
NICK
What
character do you want to play?
INGRID
You
choose. You’re the writer.
NICK
You
could be the backpacker our hero meets in a hostel in...
INGRID
Describe
this girl?
NICK
She is
beautiful...blonde, bold and brassy...German...
INGRID (laughs)
Does he
fall for her immediately or does he play hard to get?
58 INT. NICK’S ROOM. BACKPACKING
HOSTEL. DAY
INGRID,
naked, is sprawled on the double bed in Nick’s small room. NICK’S head is
buried in her crotch, giving her head. Judging by INGRID’S response he is
proficient at the task.
NICK (voice over)
Too much
detail?
59 INT. LIVING ROOM. NICK’S
APARTMENT. NIGHT
ANGELA
looks at the computer monitor. Nick talks to camera; a wicked grin on his face.
NICK
Sorry!
ANGELA
laughs and cries at the same time.
ANGELA
Too much
detail. Cretin. Moron...
NICK
I got
sidetracked. It’s what happened next that’s important.
Angela’s
phone emits the opening bars of Beethoven’s 5th.
NICK
When her
boyfriend appeared on the scene, someone you...
ANGELA
presses ‘pause’. Nick’s face freezes onscreen; picks up her mobile phone, looks
at it:
Nick
She
stares at the phone in shock for a long moment; picks it up fearfully.
ANGELA
Hello.
(There is
only dial-tone.)
Hello!
60 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.
61 INT. LIVING ROOM. NICK’S
APARTMENT. DAY
ANGELA,
in a state of shock, stares at the ‘missed calls’ folder in her phone. There
are half a a dozen in the previous couple of days from:
Nick
She
opens the ‘Money stuff’ folder looks at more photos:
Tilda performs a strip tease for
the camera.
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.
Angela’s
phone rings. She looks at the screen:
Tilda
End of Episode Four
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