Chinatown Page #5

DOWN ON THE BEACH

Gittes looks to his right - where the bay is a long, clear

crescent. He looks to his left - there's a promontory of

sorts. It's apparent Mulwray has gone that way. Gittes

hesitates, then moves in that direction -- but climbs along

the promontory in order to be above Mulwray.

AT THE OUTFALL:

Gittes spots Mulwray just below him, kicking at the sand.

Mulwray picks up a starfish. Brushes the sand off it. Looks

absently up toward Gittes.

11.

GITTES:

backs away, sits near the outfall, yawns.

BEACON LIGHT AT POINT FERMIN

flashing in the dust.

CLOSE - GITTES

sitting, suddenly starts. He swears softly -- he's in a puddle

of water and the seat of his trousers is wet.

MULWRAY:

below him in watching the water trickling down from the

outfall near Gittes. Mulwray stands and stares at the water,

apparently fascinated. Even as Gittes watches Mulwray

watching, the volume and velocity seem to increase until it

gushes in spurts, cascading into the sea, whipping it into a

foam.

AT THE STREET - GITTES' CAR

There's a slip of paper stuck under the windshield wiper.

Gittes pulls it off, gets in the car and turns on the dash

light. It says:
"SAVE OUR CITY! LOS ANGELES IS DYING OF

THIRST! PROTECT YOUR PROPERTY! LOS ANGELES IS YOUR INVESTMENT

IN THE FUTURE!!! VOTE YES NOVEMBER 6......CITIZENS COMMITTEE

TO SAVE OUR CITY, HON. SAM BAGBY, FORMER MAYOR - CHAIRMAN."

Gittes grumbles, crumples it up and tosses it out the window.

He notices other flyers parked on a couple of cars down the

street. Gittes reaches down and opens his glove compartment.

INT. GLOVE COMPARTMENT

consists of a small mountain of Ingersoll pocket watches.

The cheap price tags are still on them. Gittes pulls out

one. He absently winds it, checks the time with his own

watch. It's 9:
37 as he walks to .Mulwray's car and places

it behind the front wheel of Mulwray's car. He yawns again

and heads back to his own car.

GITTES:

arrives whistling, opens the door with "J.J. GITTES AND

ASSOCIATES - DISCREET INVESTIGATION" on it.

GITTES:

Morning, Sophie.

Sophie hands him a small pile of messages. He goes through

them.

GITTES:

Walsh here?

12.

SOPHIE:

He's in the dark room.

Gittes walks through his office to Duffy and Walsh's. A

little red light is on in the corner, over a closed door.

Gittes walks over and knocks on the door.

GITTES:

Where'd he go yesterday?

WALSH'S VOICE

Three reservoirs -- Men's room of a

Richfield gas station on Flower, and

the Pig 'n Whistle.

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