Klute Page #6

KLUTE:

You know what I'm talking about.

Miss Daniel.

BREE:

Honest?

KLUTE:

Will you let me ask you some

questions?

BREE:

(gumbo-southern)

Dew yew hayuv ah-dentifikyshun?

He takes out a folded letter and a wallet and

passes them both through to her. Silence. She

examines them with care, then appears to soften a

little; even smiles slightly.

BREE (CONT'D)

You're not police or FBI; you're

just a private investigator?

KLUTE:

Mm.

BREE:

And you just want to ask me a few

questions?

KLUTE:

Mm.

She smiles again, hands the letter and wallet back

out, closes the door (doesn't slam, just closes).

Klute looks at it blankly for a time, starts to

knock again, decides not to -- turns and descends

the stairs.

BREE:

Bree listens through the door to his departing foot

steps. They fade from hearing. She hastens to

assemble her properties.

EXT. FRONT DOOR - DAY

Klute comes out door and descends the stairs at the

same even pace -- he walks into the vacant store

below.

INT. BASEMENT STORE - DAY

It had once been a Boutique that sold happy

clothes. There are some psychedelic posters and a

few remnants of its former identity. Klute's

suitcase is propped open on a cot behind a counter.

The ceilings are low, forcing Klute to stoop as he

enters. He seems out of place and out of scale. A

case containing a tape recorder stands on the

floor. On the table are a FOLDER of Klute's notes,

and a paper bag. Klute enters and deliberately

resumes his settling in. From the paper bag he sets

aside an electric FAN, then lifts out from the

shopping bag a cheap tin ALARM CLOCK and begins

winding it.

INT. BREE'S APARTMENT - DAY

Bree has shifted position to a window, is looking

down at the street. She sees - and we hear - SOUND

OF BUS APPROACHING, distantly. She grabs her

properties, whips out the door.

EXT. ON DOOR OF BROWNSTONE - DAY

Bree skids to a stop just inside the door, scans

quickly out in one direction then the other (in

case Klute has been waiting in ambush on the

sidewalk) then races -- PAN -- to BUS AT CURB --

makes it, pulls herself aboard --

INT. KLUTE'S APARTMENT: KLUTE - DAY

Klute has been watching from his window. We hear

the BUS PULLING AWAY. He turns back, plugs in the

electric fan. Then hoists the TAPE RECORDER,

unsnaps the cover. We see clearly what it is.

INT. AGENCY OFFICE - DAY

BREE is showing her notebook to an AGENT. He leans

forward courteously, occasionally stroking his

forehead with his fingertips -- a nice man with a

headache.

BREE:

-- and I take acting classes with

Lee Tainter --

AGENT:

-- Lee, yes --

BREE:

-- and I was in two of his workshop

type productions, Uncle Vanya and

the girl in Five Characters --

(indicates picture)

-- here -- and then of course I

have the modeling and the

demonstrator work, the trade-fair

work -- but naturally I feel ready

for something more, well you know,

sustain --

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