2. 1 EXT. FOREST ROAD - NIGHT
A 1970S SEDAN moves down an empty road.
2 INT. CAR - CONTINUOUS
We hear a classic ROCK ’N ROLL TUNE mixed with some STATIC.
BETTIE, 50s wakes up from a nap and looks around.
Dan, 50s, turns up the radio. She pulls out a LARGE MAP,
holding it upside-down, trying to make sense of it.
DAN
Would you put that away?
She tilts the map to see it better.
DAN
I can’t see!
She pulls it down just enough, then looks around.
BETTIE
Your lost.
DAN
No, I’m not lost
BETTIE
Yes you are, I’m looking at the
map.
DAN
No I’m not I know where I’m going.
BETTIE
No you do not know where your going
I’m looking at the map.
DAN
Then I guess were not lost!
She carefully puts the map away, visibly upset.
DAN
(reassuringly)
We’re going the right way.
BETTIE
(quietly)
Can you turn that off.
(CONTINUED)
3. CONTINUED: 2.
The radio static grows FIERCE, DROWNING out the tune. Dan
carefully twists the dial - to make the station clearer, but
the static only gets worse.
DAN
Damn thing.
BETTIE
Dan!
Dan pulls over to the side of the road, where we find CAROL,
a COLLEGE STUDENT 20s, disheveled, and very out of place.
FROM A DISTANCE: The girl runs to the door and jumps in. Dan
turns the car around, speeding back the way it came.
WE PAN LEFT, until we see a little dark clearing beside the
road. All of a sudden BRIGHT HEADLIGHTS TURN ON. A VW BUG
pulls out of the road and speeds away.
3 EXT. FOREST ROAD - CONTINUOUS
From a distance: Dan helps the girl as she scrambles to get
into the car.
DAN
(yelling)
Grab the map - we need to find a
hospital!
Dan turns the car around, driving back the way they came.
We CRANE DOWN to the side of the street, where we see an
open PAIR OF HANDCUFFS, illuminated in the moonlight.
FADE TO BLACK
4 INT. BEDROOM - EARLY MORNING
A BEDSIDE PHONE RINGS. Clark, mid 50’s, slowly rolls over
and picks it up.
CLARK
(half asleep)
Hello?
He hears something interesting. Now - he’s awake.
CLARK
What? - Where?
(CONTINUED)
4. CONTINUED: 3.
He fumbles around the bedside table drawer. It’s too dark.
He turns on a LAMP. He finds a dry pen, then scribbles on a
USED NAPKIN. He tosses it - then finds another. He jots down
an address. His WIFE sits up behind him.
CLARK
No, that’s fine - I’ll come now.
He gets up, throwing on his LEATHER JACKET.
CLARK’S WIFE
I hope your home for dinner.
He gives her a quick kiss on the forehead, then leaves the
bedroom, shutting the door behind him. She reaches over to
turn off the lamp.
5 INT. POLICE CAR - EARLY MORNING
Clark turns his VEHICLE down a residential street. Large
Mansion-like houses are aligned behind a row of tall oaks.
Clark pulls up to the curb. He grabs a WORN LEATHER
SATCHEL, and gets out of his VEHICLE.
We JIB UP, revealing a PEARL-WHITE SORORITY HOUSE surrounded
by a row of PILLARS. He walks to the entrance. A small group
of people stand at the door, waiting for him.
6 EXT. SORORITY HOUSE - CONTINUOUS
DETECTIVE BROWN, 40s, takes a drag from a cigarette. Dan &
Bettie (from scene 1) await - exhausted.
CLARK
Your smoking again?
Brown grabs a STYROFOAM CUP OF COFFEE from a CARDBOARD
HOLDER, handing it to Clark.
BROWN
Detective Clark - Dan and Bettie
Davis.
Clark shakes Dan’s hand.
BROWN
They found her last night off
HIGHWAY 22.
(CONTINUED)
5. CONTINUED: 4.
CLARK
Where?
BROWN
Near the mountains-
DAN
By the freeway.
Bettie pinches him hard on the back of the arm.
DAN
Oww!
He yanks it away with a start, grabbing it for a moment till
the pain goes away.
CLARK
Did she say anything?
Dan turns back around.
DAN
She was mumbling something. Honey -
what was she mumbling?
BETTIE
What?
DAN
What was she saying?
BETTIE
She was saying something-
DAN
A name!
BETTIE
I DON’T REMEMBER!
There’s a moment of silence.
CLARK
I think we can take it from here.
Bettie begins to walk away, then stops.
BETTIE
Her parents don’t get here till
this afternoon - so we stayed with
her at the hospital.
(CONTINUED)
6. CONTINUED: 5.
CLARK
You two have been more than
helpful.
They walk away from the porch bickering at each other. Clark
takes a deep breath, watching them go.
BROWN
(in a low voice)
How do you wanna handle it?
All of a sudden - we notice Bettie and Dan are talking to
each other rather loudly. She turns around.
BETTIE
It was Ted!
They turn to her.
BETTIE
The name. It was Ted.
The Detectives exchange a glance. Brown walks down the
stairs towards the couple.
BROWN
Let’s go over this one more time.
Clark turns to the Sketch Artist, then opens the door,
walking into the house. He waits for the sketch artist to
pass inside, then closes the door behind him.
7 INT. SORORITY HOUSE - CONTINUOUS
Clark & the sketch-artist turn a corner, into a living room.
Carol sits on a plush couch with a BLANKET wrapped around
her. She slowly sips on a cup of tea.
CLARK
Carol?
She doesn’t seem to notice him. Clark grabs a chair, pulling
it front of her. He takes a seat.
CLARK
I’m detective Clark with major
crimes. How are you feeling?
A moment of silence goes by.
(CONTINUED)
7. CONTINUED: 6.
CLARK
You’re very lucky, you know. [beat]
You’re the only one that got away.
She takes a sip of her tea.
CLARK
Carol.
She looks up at him.
CLARK
Can you tell me what happened?
She thinks for a moment, then shakes her head.
CAROL (CONT’D)
I was walking home - and I saw this
guy with a cast trying to carry his
books. He was having trouble so I
helped. [gets emotional] I’m sorry
CLARK
I know this is hard - do you
remember what he looks like?
CAROL
I... I can’t remember.
CLARK
Even a shape, or an outline.
She looks down at her wrists, still raw from being
Handcuffed. A single image jolts through her brain.
CAROL (CONT’D)
I remember... his eyes... the way
he looked at me... That’s when I
knew...I shouldn’t be here.
The Sketch Artist holds his PENCIL just above the
bleach-white surface of his pad.
He begins to sketch a face.
8 INT. DARK ROOM - NIGHT
We see before us...
The WHIRLING COGS of a LARGE PRINTING PRESS. Operating at
full capacity.
SLAM SLAM SLAM SLAM
8. 7.
A MECHANICAL ARM stacks fresh NEWSPAPERS one on top of the
other. On the front is a sketch of a man, with a PENETRATING
STARE.
9 INT. CASS’ ROOM - EVENING
We slowly dolly into the room of a twenty-something. We pass
a couple OPEN BEER BOTTLES, a SUITCASE, a PHOTO of a SMILING
YOUNG COUPLE, then finally, on Cass, sitting on her bed,
sipping on a BEER.
We hear a HONK from outside.
She looks out her window, then quickly moves out of her
room.
10 EXT. CASS’ HOUSE - EVENING
Cass walks down the front steps to her house, then climbs
into a VW Bug. It sputters away.
11 INT. VW BUG - CONTINUOUS
Cass looks out the window, agitated.
TED
You look beautiful.
CASS
Thanks.
TED
I’ve been packing all day.
He looks over at her.
TED
I’m sorrryyy. I’ll make it up to
you [beat] tonight.
CASS
You better.
She looks in the rear-view mirror, noticing a PAIR OF
CRUTCHES in the back seat.
TED
I’m just trying to get to Dante’s.
(CONTINUED)
9. CONTINUED: 8.
CASS
They’re probably there already-
TED
Who?
CASS
Getting drunk... having fun.
TED
Who’s there?
CASS
Davy, Megan, Ben-
TED
Megan!
CASS
Yeah.
TED
At Dante’s?
CASS
She invited us.
TED
[beat] She invited you.
CASS
Don’t worry about Megan.
Ted pulls up to the curb and shuts off his engine.
TED
(heartfelt)
I just want our last night to be
perfect.
CASS
Last night?
TED
(reassuringly)
In Seattle.
CASS
Oh - yeah...
He gets out of the car. She pulls the handle but her door
won’t open. Ted walks around the car, opening it from the
outside.
(CONTINUED)
10. CONTINUED: 9.
TED
Need to fix that.
He closes the door behind her. They walk into the bar.
12 EXT. DANTE’S BAR - NIGHT
They walk across the street to the front of...
DANTES || A POPULAR UNIVERSITY DIVE BAR
13 INT. DANTE’S BAR LOUNGE - NIGHT
Megan 25, sits at a round table overlooking the dance floor
with DAVY and BEN, same age. Behind them, Cass approaches.
Megan gets up to give her a big hug.
MEGAN
You came!
CASS
Ted got into Law school so -
MEGAN
He got in?
CASS
Yeah, in Utah!
MEGAN
(concerned)
Utah?
Across from them, Ben and Davy, MID 20s, strain their necks
sideways.
DAVY
Hey!
MEGAN
What?
Davy signals her to get out of the way. She follows his gaze
to a nearby table, where a couple girls sit, drinking. She
turns back to him.
MEGAN
You like ’em?
(CONTINUED)
11. CONTINUED: 10.
DAVY
(matter-of-factly)
No, they like us.
MEGAN
Really?
Megan turns back to the girls.
MEGAN
(shouting)
Hey! These guys want to buy you
drinks.
They laugh, stealing glances at Davy and Ben.
BEN
Okay...
Ben quickly gets up and walks away.
DAVY
Wait.
Davy follows him. As he leaves, he shoots Megan a look.
Cass and Megan sit down.
CASS
Poor guys.
MEGAN
With this whole missing girl thing
they need all the help they can
get.
They both laugh. Megan pushes over a HALF-FULL PLATE OF
FRIES
14 INT. DANTE’S BAR - NIGHT
CLOSE UP of a NEWSPAPER. On the front, we see a SKETCH OF A
MAN’S FACE. The headline reads "POLICE STUMPED, URGE
CAUTION.
BROWN
You really think that’s him?
CLARK
I don’t know.
DETECTIVE BROWN, 35 eyes DETECTIVE CLARK, 55 who sits next
to him. Brown sets the newspaper down.
(CONTINUED)
12. CONTINUED: 11.
A CUTE BARTENDER passes by.
CLARK
(politely)
Can I get two waters please.
BROWN
(abruptly)
-and an old fashion’.
She pulls out a COUPLE GLASSES, and a FIFTH OF BOURBON.
BACK TO:
15 INT. DANTE’S BAR LOUNGE - NIGHT
Cass eats a fry.
MEGAN
Have you talked about it?
CASS
What?
MEGAN
Utah.
CASS
Yeah. I mean, we’re still working
out the details but, I’m fine with
spontaneous.
Megan forces a smile, then looks over at Ted as he orders
drinks. He’s having an engaging conversation with the
bartender. She turns back.
MEGAN
You think you’ll like it there?
CASS
Utah’s great - There’s mountains -
Ted and I love to go skiing -
it’s sunny - well get a bigger
house if-
MEGAN
He’s playing you Cass.
Cass stares at her, trying to think of what to say. Ted
walks over, setting down THREE SHOTS OF TEQUILA, complete
with SALT and LIMES.
(CONTINUED)
13. CONTINUED: 12.
TED
I just got a great deal on these.
He pushes a shot over to Megan.
TED
People here are so kind.
Megan shoots Cass a look. Ted raises his glass, waiting for
them to do the same.
TED
To the future.
They CLINK glasses, then down the alcohol.
16 INT. BAR BALCONY - CONTINUOUS
Davy and Ben watch the Girl’s table from a safe distance.
DAVY
I’ll take the one on the left.
BEN
Let’s get some beer.
Davy pushes him forward.
17 INT. DANCEFLOOR - A LITTLE LATER
Ted and Cass SWAY to a slow number. They’re both buzzed, but
Ted manages to keep her steady as they slide past the clumsy
couples.
TED
Not bad for a drunk.
CASS
I’m not drunk.
TED
Not you.
Cass watches as Ben stumbles down the stairs with his new
date.
CASS
You excited?
(CONTINUED)
14. CONTINUED: 13.
TED
Excited? Of course I’m excited.
She waits for him to say something, but he doesn’t.
CASS
So am I coming or not?
TED
[beat] You can if you want.
CASS
If you don’t want me to come you
can just say -
TED
Of course I want you to come.
CASS
Then why didn’t you say it?
He swings her around. She struggles to stay on her feet.
CASS
Ted!
TED
It’s a big decision!
CASS
I know it’s a big decision - That’s
why we need to discuss it-
TED
Right now?
CASS
It’s like you don’t want to talk
about it -
TED
We’re drinking!
CASS
[beat] Well, they always say the
truth comes out when your drunk...
Ted realizes he’s not getting out of this one. He strains
his brain for a diplomatic response.
TED
(carefully)
It makes sense for me - I’m going
to Law School.
(CONTINUED)
15. CONTINUED: 14.
CASS
Utah’s a good place. I could get a
job.
TED
Cass...
Cass understands his point, but she’s hurt. Ted grabs her
face, giving her a reassuring kiss.
TED
I love you more than you know.
He holds her close. She looks away.
18 INT. BOOTH - CONTINUOUS
We go to the ’L’ shaped booth. The best seat in the house. A
PITCHER and some HALF-EMPTY BEERS lie on the table in front
of them.
DAVY
You remember that big party last
year? You know - the one where
everyone got the rash from the
foam?
Megan rolls her eyes. She’s heard this a million times.
DAVY
Well we didn’t get the rash because
Ben wanted to go home Dany.
BEN
It was lame.
Cass grabs a HALF-FULL BEER and takes a swig.
DAVY
...so were walking back, Ben pulls
out this massive joint, like really
massive - and he says, tell them
what you said.
BEN
I wrapped it tighter than a -
DAVY
He says "I wrapped it tighter than
a virgins pussy!"
Everyone LAUGHS, except for Cass. Davy is getting to the
good part...
(CONTINUED)
16. CONTINUED: 15.
DAVY
So we find ourselves in front of
the cops, and I’m as high as a kite
and couldn’t think of anything to
say...
Ben knows whats coming. He tries to lean away, but he has
nowhere to go. Davy raises his arms to embrace him.
DAVY
...so I turn to Davy, I wrap my
arms around him and I say "we were
making love."
The girls laugh. Ben pushes him off.
DAVY
The manager was so shocked, she let
us go.
DAVY’S DATE
Why?
Davy shrugs.
DAVY
Because - sometimes people don’t
want to believe the truth -
sometimes it’s easier to believe
the lie.
The two girls look confused.
TED
It’s easier that way
DAVY
Exactly.
Davy leans back. The girls are amused. Cass spills her beer
over the table.
She gets up and walks toward the bar.
19 INT. BAR - CONTINUOUS
Cass hurries up to the bartender.
CASS
Hey, do you have a rag?
(CONTINUED)
17. CONTINUED: 16.
The bartender grabs a newspaper and sets it in front of
Cass. She grabs it and turns to leave. Something catches her
eye - She freezes in motion, looking at the paper in her
hands.
There’s a sketch of a man with a penetrating stare.
20 INT. BOOTH - CONTINUOUS
*Improv scene* Megan gets too drunk and unloads her feelings
about Ted, telling him about how bad he is for Cass. Davy &
Ben loose their dates.
21 INT. CASS’ HOUSE - NIGHT
Cass enters her room, then LOCKS the door.
She moves toward a SUITCASE, lying in the middle of the
room. She quickly opens it, tossing out her clothes.
At the bottom, a FEW PRIZED PHOTOS.
She pulls out a recent PHOTO of HER AND TED. She places it
next to the newspaper article from the bar.
A KNOCK AT THE DOOR.
She jumps, turns around.
TED (O.S.)
Hey, you there?
A KNOCK AGAIN.
She stares at the door, motionless.
TED (O.S.)
I just want to talk.
She hesitates, then walks over to the door, opening it.
TED
Hey.
CASS
Hey.
TED
Why’d you leave?
(CONTINUED)
18. CONTINUED: 17.
CASS
I wasn’t feeling good.
TED
What are you doing?
CASS
[beat] Un-packing
TED
Can I come in?
CASS
I’m really not feeling good.
TED
I wanna make you feel better.
Ted tries to open the door, but she pushes back. He looks at
her, confused.
CASS
Actually - can we go somewhere?
TED
Right now?
She nods her head.
TED
(confused)
Yeah, okay.
As she closes the door, Ted catches a quick glimpse of her
room.
INSIDE THE ROOM: The door closes, leaving the newspaper and
photo in the shadows.
22 EXT. ABOVE A FOREST - NIGHT
We drone over the treetops of a dense forest. In the
distance, the CASCADE MOUNTAIN RANGE looms in the night.
23 INT. VW BUG - FOREST - NIGHT
WE JIB DOWN to the Tan VW Bug - parked somewhere deep in the
forest.
(CONTINUED)
19. CONTINUED: 18.
TED
I’m just sitting there -
everything’s fine, then your gone.
CASS
I wasn’t feeling good.
TED
You weren’t feeling good?
CASS
Yeah. I dunno.
TED
And Megan just goes off on me,
about you.
Cass has nothing to say.
TED
I know you guys talk.
CASS
Don’t worry about Megan.
TED
So - you’re not mad at me.
CASS
No.
TED
So your fine.
She looks away.
TED
I love you.
She scoffs. She’s heard this too many times.
TED
I love you.
CASS
(abruptly)
Great.
TED
Your supposed to say -
(CONTINUED)
20. CONTINUED: 19.
CASS
(interrupting)
I love you too?
TED
What’s up your net?
CASS
(getting heated)
Really?
TED
(annoyed)
What?
CASS
(matter-of-factly)
You say you love me but I’m not
coming with you. We’ve gone for
four years - your leaving tomorrow
and you don’t even have the decency
to break it off.
TED
Break it off?
CASS
You don’t care.
TED
Why would I break it off?
CASS
Cause you don’t care!
TED
There’s nothing for you in Utah!
CASS
[beat] Take me home.
TED
We can still be together.
CASS
(sarcastically)
We can?
He stares at her with wild eyes. She looks back at him,
holding his gaze. She musters up her courage.
(CONTINUED)
21. CONTINUED: 20.
CASS
Don’t make me walk.
He continues to stare at her. She turns to the door, then
tries the handle, but it doesn’t open. She notices something
on the window. A small smudge of blood. Ted gently takes her
hand.
TED
You remember the first time we met?
She is beyond spooked, but she can’t show it.
TED
I had been watching you across the
bar. I was sad because my friends
had left, so you said -
LIZ
Ted-
TED
So you said...
She exhales deeply.
LIZ
[beat] I’ll be your friend.
TED
The truth is - I wasn’t sad because
my friends had left.
She looks over at him.
TED
(getting emotional)
I was sad because I spent my last
dollar on beer, and I couldn’t
afford to buy you a drink.
LIZ
You’ve come a long way.
TED
But it was only because of you.
Before we met my life was
desperately empty.
He leans in for a kiss. She lets him do it. He touches her
face.
(CONTINUED)
22. CONTINUED: 21.
TED
I don’t want it to be empty again.
She looks down.
CASS
(deathly quiet)
Isn’t it?
TED
What?
CASS
Take me home - now!
He looks at her stupefied. He starts the engine.
24 INT. CASS’S HOUSE - LATE NIGHT
Cass bursts into her room. It’s very late at night, but
she’s not tired. She paces back and forth, not sure what she
should do next. Finally, she sits on her bed, then looks
over at the newspaper and photo, laying on the ground. She
looks over at the phone for a moment, then moves to pick it
up.
25 INT. CLARK’S DINING ROOM - DAY
Clark sits down for a rare moment with his wife for a
home-made brunch.
CLARK’S WIFE
Susan called.
CLARK
When?
CLARK’S WIFE
Yesterday - she just got an A on
her Chemistry exam.
CLARK
(happy)
Really?
Clark reaches for the eggs.
CLARK’S WIFE
[beat] I think she’s having a tough
time in her sorority.
(CONTINUED)
23. CONTINUED: 22.
The phone RINGS. Clark goes to grab it, then hangs it up. He
sits down at the table.
CLARK
It can wait.
CLARK’S WIFE
You sure?
CLARK
Yeah.
The phone rings again. Clark looks over his shoulder.
26 EXT. PARK BENCH - MORNING
Detective Clark listens, with his PENCIL & NOTEPAD READY.
A BRIEFCASE by his side.
CLARK (O.S.)
Thanks for calling.
CASS
He drives a volkswagon but it’s not
metallic. Sometimes he speaks in
this formal way that could be
mistaken for an accent, and his
name is Ted.
CLARK
We got this computer not too long
ago - to search bug owners named
Ted. There’s more than you think.
CASS
I was helping him move - I saw
crutches in the corner of his room.
CLARK
Crutches?
CASS
Yeah. The newspaper said -
CLARK
But that wasn’t enough to scare you
right? You called me last night.
Why?
CASS
Because I saw this.
24. 23.
She pulls out the newspaper and the photo, setting them on
the bench. Clark looks at both of them, then back to Cass.
27 EXT. CASS’S HOUSE - DAY
Cass walks up to the front door of her house. She looks
down, finding...
A SINGLE RED ROSE, laying on the doorstep. She picks it up,
twisting it in her hands. Next to it is a letter with her
name on it.
28 INT. CASS’ LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS
She sits down on a couch, then opens the envelope. She pulls
out a letter. In Ted’s elegant cursive...
TED (V.O.)
It’s Friday night. You’re gone and
I’ve never been so alone in my
life.
29 INT. POLICE OFFICE - DAY
Clark walks into a large room with Brown. He looks over at a
table, where Carol sits, waiting.
TED (V.O.)
As I lay awake tirelessly dreaming
of your heart - I punish myself
with an insatiable desire - for I
have driven you away.
30 INT. TED’S CAR - NIGHT
Ted grabs a PICTURE FRAME, removing a photo of Him and Cass.
It’s the same photo that Cass gave to the detective - but
it’s Ted’s copy.
TED (V.O.)
With tears in my eyes I can’t bear
to lose you - you deserve
everything this life has to offer,
but I’ve cut you with a love that
only burns.
INTERCUT
On a cold table, FIVE PHOTOS rest on a table, backside-up.
Carol stares at them.
(CONTINUED)
25. CONTINUED: 24.
CLARK
Remember - you don’t have to pick
one unless your sure.
She nods her head, then uncovers the first photo. It’s a
person we don’t recognize. then moves to the second one.
Clark watches her intensely.
31 INT. TED’S CAR - NIGHT
We watch Ted’s hand as he carefully writes a note to Cass.
TED (V.O.)
No matter the journey - I’ll find
you - searching for your open arms
- the only thing I’ve ever felt.
In his VW, Ted has his eyes glued to the road. He’s stiff,
as if forcing himself not to look back.
TED (V.O.)
I am a stranger to this world -
like darkness is to the light - non
existent - a phantom, with no place
to hide -
INTERCUT
Carol flips the THIRD PHOTO. We see a PHOTO OF TED. Clark
watches her, wide-eyed.
Cass continues to read the envelope.
TED (V.O.)
I’m alone in this world, a stranger
trapped inside. But to you I’ll
forever be, the stranger by your
side.
Cass sets the letter down slowly. A PHONE RINGS behind her.
She looks at it, horrified. It RINGS again. She moves
towards it, then picks it up.
CASS
Hello?
She waits in anticipation. She knows who’s calling.
26. 25.
32 EXT. POLICE STATION - DAY
Clark holds the PAYPHONE close to his ear. He’s standing
outside the POLICE STATION
CLARK
We showed her the photo.
INTERCUT
Cass is motionless, holding the phone.
CLARK
She picked it up, balanced it on a
knee, then put it back in the
stack. It’s hardly a positive.
CASS
So - what does that mean?
CLARK
I don’t know what it means for you,
but for me, it means I’m moving on.
CASS
Oh.
CLARK
Take Care, okay?
CASS
You must think I’m crazy.
CLARK
[beat] Nah. Your fine.
Cass holds the phone for a moment.
CASS
Okay.
CLARK
Bye.
Clark hangs up the line. Cass sits back down at the table,
noticing something else in the envelope. She pulls it out.
It’s the photo of her and Ted.
Cass sits down in her kitchen, staring at the photo.
We slowly DOLLY BACK as she sits alone in her living room.
FADE TO BLACK
(CONTINUED)
27. CONTINUED: 26.
SHOW TEXT: After being dismissed as a suspect, Ted Bundy
went on to kill 20 more girls before finally being caught.
THE END
