Copycat Page #5

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M.J.

Oh, Christ, the Mouth is already

here.

She is, with a cameraman with a haircut and smile that speak

of a life of orthodontics and dreams of TV anchorship.

RUBEN:

Hey. And there's the Haircut right

behind. If she stops short he's

gonna be there feet up her ass...

SUSAN:

(on camera)

Inspector, can you...

M.J.

I just got here myself, Susan.

SUSAN:

...confirm this third murder adds

up to a pattern? Do we have a

serial killer on the loose in the

city?

M.J.

I just got here. Talk to you

later...

M.J.

(as they escape behind the

barrier tape)

What the hell does she want to do,

scare everybody to death?

RUBEN:

That's her job... Jesus, Quinn is

here already.

QUINN, a splenetic Irishman, a politician, Chief of Homicide

stands at the top of the steps leading to the front door.

As they climb up toward him...

QUINN:

I been waiting... I have to do

everything myself. Photo, crime

tech, the Coroner are already

inside. The Landlady calls it in;

tenant is not answering when

called, she sticks her head in,

sees the body, uses the deceased's

telephone to call 911. Otherwise

nothing disturbed. It's all yours,

kid. I'll take care of the Mouth

and the Haircut.

M.J. and Ruben enter...

INT. APARTMENT HOUSE - HALL - DAY

Four uniformed cops stand in the hall securing the premises;

at the back one cop stands by a stunned and tearful woman

chain-smoking (the Landlady).

M.J.

(to cop)

That the Landlady?

(to Ruben)

You wanna talk to her, Ruben?

(back to cops)

Who was first on the scene?

Mike answers her question by answering to Ruben!

MIKE:

I was.

M.J.

(forcefully)

I'm over here? What's your name,

Officer?

MIKE:

Michael Johnson.

M.J.

You touch anything, Mike? Pick up

anything? Use the doorknob? I

don't want to find your prints on

anything later and you tell me you

forgot to tell me.

MIKE:

No. I didn't.

She glances at him, at the SLIGHTLY OLD INFLECTION ON THE "I

DIDN'T." But moves on, as Ruben goes to the Landlady...

INT. BATHROOM - DAY

The same YOUNG WOMAN we saw jogging, is now dead. Hair

still in a long braid. She wears only a blouse, open and

pushed back. She is on her back in the bathtub, with one

leg dangling over the side of the tub. The effect is

slightly posed, but casual, relaxed.

Bending over her is DOC, the Coroner, WITHDRAWING A HUGE

MEAT THERMOMETER FROM HER SIDE.

M.J. APPEARS IN THE BACK OF THE SHOT taking in the scene.

Foreground, Doc reads the thermometer. The photographer is

finishing up his shots. The room is crowded. Two Coroner's

men wait in the doorway, a stretcher standing on end between

them; M.J. has to pass between them to come down to the

body. THROUGHOUT WE FOCUS ON M.J.'S FACE; HER REACTION TO

THE SCENE, RATHER THAN DWELLING ON THE SCENE ITSELF.

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