Killing Hour - Lisa Gardner [174]
SARAH (CONT’D)
Rick…?
Suddenly, Sarah spins around–
SARAH (CONT’D)
Boo.
Getting the drop on RICK FELDER – salt-and-pepper sexy, established man’s confidence mixed with a former bad boy’s heat–
RICK
I so had you…
SARAH
Charlie Brown with the football–
RICK
I think Lucy needs a spanking.
He grabs at her. Laughing, screaming, she fends him off with the blow up doll. As they tussle–
RICK (CONT’D)
(re: doll)
I’m not even gonna ask.
He flings it to the side, grabs her, they kiss. Visceral, electric, heating up. Over–
SARAH
Where’s Jack?
RICK
Dropped him off at school…
SARAH
Was he mad?
RICK
He’s 13. It’s his job to hate us.
Sarah sighs, worried, rests her head on his shoulder.
RICK (CONT’D)
He’ll come around. Or I’ll make him.
(beat, then re: blow up doll)
What does Candy Cane feel about Sonoma?
SARAH
(smiles)
Pop that damn thing before Jack sees it.
RICK
Okay.
SARAH
What time’re the movers coming?
She goes to an open moving BOX, digs around. Pops a NICACHEW out of its box.
RICK
In an hour. Oh, Regi called, said she wanted to take Jack for a spin on the boat before you leave.
SARAH
Maybe she can give me away at the wedding. What’ll your parents think about that?
RICK
Who cares. What about you, you ready to do this?
SARAH
Do what?
He laughs. Kisses her.
RICK
Sell the condo, quit your job, move your kid away from his cool friends… Marry me.
She kisses him. Deep, passionate–
SARAH
You know I’m not one for words.
RICK
It’s a good thing you only need two of ‘em.
They kiss again, heating up. Their need for one another bottomless. BEEP BEEP–
RICK (CONT’D)
That’s me, ahhh–
Rick disengages and moves toward his bags.
SARAH
Why can’t you fly down with us tonight? Candy Cane wants to play, argg–
Sarah grabbing at him.
RICK
Yeah. Okay.
He laughs at her playfulness. Grabs his bags. Makes his way to the front door.
RICK (CONT’D)
Tickets on top of the fridge, flight’s at nine thirty.
SARAH
I do.
RICK
What?
SARAH
Want to marry you.
This moment honest. No jokes. No masks. They smile.
RICK
Tickets on the fridge, flights at nine thirty.
Rick exits. A beat as Sarah sits in this empty place, her smile fades. She spots the TICKETS on the fridge. As she takes them down, a PHOTO – pinned underneath – flutters to the ground. Sarah picks it up, smiles, tenderly kisses the photo. Pins it back on the fridge.
We see the PHOTO: Sarah and her 13-year-old son, JACK, smiling into camera. Mom and son against the world.
Only thing left in the empty kitchen. She carefully straightens it. Making it perfect.
EXT. SEATTLE PD - DAY
Sarah seen in her office window, cleaning up. A UNI walks past.
SARAH
… We’ll have a few hours before the airport, Regi… Yeah, it’d be great…
INT. SEATTLE PD - SARAH’S OFFICE - DAY
Musty and cramped, mismatched steel filing cabinets, Sarah, in sweater and jeans, tosses manila FOLDERS into cardboard boxes, chewing gum, mid-convo on her cell phone–
SARAH
…To take Jack out on the water–
Her office door bangs opens, revealing Det. STEPHEN HOLDER –30, ex-narc, dark circles under his eyes. Startled as she–
HOLDER
(overlapping)
Ahh, this is a bad door. Sorry, what… what are you doing here–
SARAH
(overlapping)
A who… Can I help you–?
HOLDER
Yeah, this is my office–
SARAH
Who are you–?
HOLDER
I’m Holder, from County. You Linden?
REGI (O.S.)
(from phone)
Sar? You there…?
SARAH
(into phone)
Yeah, I gotta go. I’ll see you tonight, Regi.
Sarah hangs up, takes him in: cardboard BOX in his arms. Fish out of water in his Fubu and baggy jeans. Amused–
SARAH (CONT’D)
Yeah. I’m Linden.
HOLDER
I thought you’d be outta here by now. But if you need more time, I can wait outside.
SARAH
No, it’s okay. No, no, come on in. I’m almost done.
Not much room to navigate. He drops his box on the desk, knocking over her box, spilling files everywhere.
HOLDER
Damn it–
SARAH
It’s okay, I got it.
Holder tries to help, making more of a mess.
HOLDER
My bad, my bad.
Hold picks up the box, she takes it.
HOLDER (CONT’D)
Here.
He moves to the other