Reckless

INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

Jack sits in the blue light of the television.  His living room is cluttered.  A whiskey bottle sits on the coffee table.  He picks it up, pours the remaining drops into a glass, and tosses the bottle aside.

He drains the glass, turns off the television, and picks up the phone.  He dials.

INT. BEDROOM

DONOVAN Peters, Jack’s former partner, lies in a tangled mess of blankets.  The telephone on the night stand RINGS.  He rolls over, moans, and picks it up.

DONOVAN

(into telephone)

‘Lo?

(beat)

Jack is that you?  Hey, I’m really sorry to hear about your ma.

(beat)

By the time I heard the funeral had already come and gone.  I’m gonna bring some flowers to her grave tomorrow.

(he listens)

Now?  Isn’t it a little late?

LIVING ROOM

Donovan, wearing a pair of blue jeans and a flannel shirt, tries to tame his messy hair with his hand.  He looks out the window.  A pair of headlights flare in the driveway.

He opens the door.  Jack enters.

DONOVAN

Jack!  Good to see you, old pal.

Donovan moves to hug Jack, but sees that Jack has no interest in hugging him.  He pats Jack on the shoulder instead.

DONOVAN (CONT’D)

You smell like a distillery, Jack.  I’m gonna grab a beer.  Can I get you one?

Jack does not answer.

DONOVAN (CONT’D)

I’ll get you one.

He disappears into the other room.  Jack walks around Donovan’s living room, inspecting its contents.

Donovan returns with two bottles of beer.  He puts one in Jack’s hand.

DONOVAN (CONT’D)

Have a seat, Jack.

JACK

I’m all right standing.

DONOVAN

How are things down at the station?  You guys miss me?

Jack does not answer.

DONOVAN (CONT’D)

I gotta tell you.  I miss it sometimes.  Operating a forklift’s no picnic.  Long days, man.  Long days.

JACK

I’m all alone now, Donovan.  They’re gone.

DONOVAN

They?  Who’s gone?

JACK

The women in my life.  First Barbara, now ma.

DONOVAN

Barbara?  That was a long time ago.

JACK

Four years.  Hardly a long time when you love someone.  We were going to be in it for the long haul.  Forever.

He breaks down, begins to cry.  Donovan moves to comfort him.

DONOVAN

Hey, Jack.  It’s all right.

JACK

Murdered.  In cold blood.

DONOVAN

Your mom was murdered?

JACK

My mom?  No.  It was a kidney infection.  Caused by direct contact with high-fructose corn syrup.  Or something.

DONOVAN

How did she get corn syrup on her kidney?

JACK

(angrily)

Will you drop all this talk about my mother here?  I’m talking about Barbara.

DONOVAN

(confused)

Barbara wasn’t murdered, Jack.  It was an accidental death.

JACK

(really pissed now)

You’ll never convince me otherwise!

(collecting himself)

I’m sorry.  I guess I’m just going through a rough patch, right now.

DONOVAN

That’s okay, Jack.  Look, why don’t you spend the night on the couch.  We’ll get up, go grab breakfast--

JACK

You were always fond of Barbara, weren’t you, Donovan?

DONOVAN

Huh?  Yeah.  I mean, she was a fine woman, Jack.  Of course I liked her.  Who didn’t?

JACK

But your fondness for her went that extra mile, now didn’t it?

DONOVAN

I don’t know what you’re talking about Jack.  If you’re trying to say I had a thing for her, you’re wrong.  She was your wife, Jack.  Friends don’t do that sort of thing.

JACK

And because you couldn’t have her, no one could, is that right?

DONOVAN

It wasn’t murder, Jack.  Look at the coroner’s report.

Jack produces a revolver from his waistband.

DONOVAN (CONT’D)

Jack, let’s be reasonable.

JACK

This is reasonable.

(beat)

How could you do it, Donovan?  Knowing what she meant to me.

DONOVAN

Precisely, Jack.  I couldn’t ever.

Donovan backs away.  He stumbles over the coffee table, dropping his bottle of beer, but regains his balance and doesn’t fall.

JACK

Clumsy, Donovan.  You were always clumsy.  That’s why they let you go from the force.

DONOVAN

Jack.  Think about what you were doing.

JACK

You were always clumsy and will always be clumsy.  But your clumsy days are nearly over.

DONOVAN

Please, Jack.  Please.

Jack points his gun at Donovan.

JACK

Look.

He FIRES, shooting Donovan in the stomach.

JACK (CONT’D

You fell on a bullet.

DONOVAN

Jack.  No.

EXT. DONOVAN’S HOUSE

Three GUNSHOTS ring out.  The muzzle flash can be seen sparking in the front window.