SEASON 1 EPISODE 5 “Paper Clock” Writer: Javier Grillo-Marxauch Director: Gabrielle Beaumont Transcribed by: Tia Dream Sequence (Jarod is watching a scene from the past. A boy plays with a baseball and mitt in a typical back yard. A woman with long, wavy red hair appears with a washing basket and pats the boy on the cheek. She says “Hi Jarod” then starts pegging clothes onto a line that is strung between trees. Adult Jarod is also in the dream, but only as an observer. The boy seems to look at him. In the dream adult Jarod speaks.) Jarod: Mum? What are you saying? I can’t hear you. Mum? Mum? (The woman doesn’t seem to hear him. He sees a myriad of clocks sitting on the ground around him. Jarod wakes from the dream, eyes wide.) The Centre Blue Cove, Delaware (Broots leads Sydney into the Tech room.) Broots: He’s been calling every two minutes like clockwork but he only wants to talk to you. Now here’s your extension okay. I’ll be right over here. (He points to a phone for Sydney then settles into his own chair and dons headphones.) Sydney: (Sydney picks up the phone.) What line is it? Broots: Oh well, don’t you think we should wait for Miss Parker? Sydney: We’ll do it without her. Broots: Sydney she’s . . . she’s gonna kill me. Sydney: What line? Broots: Okay two, but keep him on as long as you can. I’ve already initiated the trace. Sydney: Hello Jarod? (Jarod sits at a table with the DSA player and a black electronic device of some sort in front of him. He hears Sydney’s voice and speaks sadly.) Jarod: I had the dream again. Sydney: Are you alright? Broots: Keep talking to him. We’ve almost got him. (Jarod flicks a switch on the device and Broots is assaulted with an ear-splitting and piercing electronically generated whine. He throws his headphones off.) Jarod: Tell Broots I discovered radio shack. (Broots walks away, disgusted.) Strange feeling homesick. I don’t know where home is. Sydney: Your home is here Jarod. You were never meant for the outside world. Jarod: Spare me the white leopard speech, Sydney. Somebody at the Centre knows who I am. I want the truth. Sydney: I’m sure we can explore these questions if you’ll come back and resume our work. Jarod: I wish I could believe you. Sydney: What you believe or don’t believe is not the issue. Jarod: What is? Sydney: Those digital simulations you stole. They contain the only existing record of over twenty-five years of research. The Centre – I want them back. Jarod: (Jarod turns a DSA disc in his fingers.) Well then perhaps they – you, will consider a trade. A piece of my past for a piece of yours. (He picks up a travel clock from the desk and looks at it.) Get back to me Sydney. I’m running late. Sydney: Late for what? Jarod: Justice. (He hangs up.) Courthouse (A long-legged figure approaches Jarod where he stands looking at his watch anxiously. The person is wearing a pink skirt suit with matching accessories. The sound of her heels and the battery powered shaver that she is applying to her upper chest echoes around the high-ceiling halls. Jarod is dressed in a suit and holds an attache case in his right hand. The elegantly clothed person sees Jarod waiting at the elevator and increases her speed.) Isaac: Mr Holmes? (Jarod turns at the sound of his name but is obviously not expecting this person who has greeted him by name. Jarod raises his eyebrows in question. The ‘woman’ removes her white rimmed sunglasses with her carefully manicured hands.) Isaac. Jarod: Mr . . . Dexter? (He frowns in confusion.) Isaac: Is something wrong? Jarod: You’re a man. Isaac: Last time I checked. Jarod: But you dress like a woman? Isaac: Didn’t anybody tell you? Jarod: Ah, no. (Isaac’s hair is curly and brown and falls to her shoulders. Her lipstick is pink and matches the colour of her suit.) Isaac: Listen, I know you don’t know me and I’ll admit I’m a little different. But if you don’t help me they’re gonna put me away faster than you can say Chanel Number 5. I didn’t do anything wrong. Those men were trying to kill me - I just defended myself. If you walk out on me I’m a dead man. (Isaac sheds a tear.) Jarod: Don’t worry, Mr . . . Dexter, I’ll stand up with you. Isaac: (He grins, takes a deep breath to calm himself.) Thank you. I knew you were a good man. I can see it in your eyes. Jarod: (He hands Isaac a handkerchief.) Here, your mascara’s running. Isaac: Thankyou. (He dabs at his eyes and follows Jarod along towards the courtroom.) So how long have you been a lawyer? Jarod: About (He consults his watch.) seven minutes. (Jarod walks off. Isaac stops in shock, then hurries after him.) OPENING CREDITS Sloane and Associates (Law Firm.) Sloane’s Office (Jarod walks across a carpeted waiting area. He greets one of the people sitting there before disappearing down a passage way. He approaches a set of glass doors, knocks on the glass before entering the spacious office. A grey-haired man is sitting at the desk. A younger man is propped against a sideboard. Both men wear the uniform of the lawyer.) Jarod: Hello. Sloane: Jarod. Please join us. Dumont: We wanted to be the first to congratulate you on your victory in court this morning. Jarod: It was beginner’s luck. Dumont: We heard your client was quite a looker. Just how lucky did you get? (he laughs.) Sloane: Don’t let Bradley get under your skin. All junior Associates get thrown a ringer their first time out. There’s honour in keeping poor innocent men out of jail. Dumont: Even if they do wear chiffon. (They’re interrupted by Dumont’s secretary knocking on the glass.) Annie: Excuse me Mr Dumont, Michael Metzer is waiting in reception. Dumont: Thanks Annie. (He gets up.) Thankfully, a client who is neither poor nor innocent. Sloane: Speaking of the poor innocent masses, have you finished your brief on the Whitaker appeal? Dumont: Dan I’m spending 70 hours a week on the Metzger merger. My plate is full. Sloane: Dumont is a pit bull in the courts but sometimes forgets who signs his paychecks. Dumont: Alright, okay. Oh uh, Jarod, in case you’re interested, um Collins’ Department Store is having a two-for-one sale in the lingerie section. See you Tiger. (He walks out. Sloane picks up his intercom but speaks to Jarod, dismissing him.) Sloane: Jarod keep up the good work. Jarod: I’ll do my best sir. Sloane: (Into the intercom.) Annie there’s something I want you to do. (Jarod leaves the office and catches up to Dumont who is heading for the reception area at speed.) Jarod: . . . pro bono. Dumont: It was a joke. Jarod: I understand that I wanted to ask you some questions about the Whitaker trial. Dumont: Old man Sloane lost a murder defence a few years ago and I got stuck holding the bag. Jarod: Why would Sloane tie up his best trial attorney writing an appeal that could be handled by a first year law student? Dumont: The Whitaker case is a raw nerve with Sloane. He hates to lose. (They stop walking.) Jarod: Let me write the appeal – you said your plate is full and I could use the practice. Dumont: The old man would have my head if he finds out I dumped this on a junior associate. Jarod: I can keep a secret if you can. Dumont: Let’s talk. (He starts walking again and Jarod follows him.) (In the foyer a man is doing his best to intimidate the receptionist.) Metzger: You find Dumont for me now or I’m going to find him myself. (Dumont and Jarod appear, still talking.) Dumont: …based on my previous appeals, you keep me in the loop. Jarod: You’re the boss. Dumont: Not yet but I’m working on it. (He sees the man giving the receptionist a hard time and shakes his hand.) Mr Metzger. I just got off the phone with the judge. I think everything’s going to work out just the way you want it. Metzger: Good. Dumont: Have you lost weight? (They walk away together. Jarod watches, then goes his own way.) The Centre Tower Office (An attractive black woman in business attire stands listening to Sydney. She twirls a perpetual motion figure that sits on the desk.) Sydney: Madam Director all Jarod wants is some small piece of himself, of his past. I believe that if we can accept his tradeoff it would go a long way towards re-establishing the kind of trust I need to bring him back. Director: (She turns to face Sydney.) What about SIS? Sydney: Miss Parker believes she can pistol whip her way into any resolution, but I know Jarod. The harder we chase the harder he’ll run. Director: I will discuss your proposal with The Tower but I make no promises. (She leaves the office.) Sloane and Associates Annie’s Desk (Sloane’s secretary, Annie, is struggling unsuccessfully with a Rubik’s Cube. She gives up and dumps it on her desk angrily.) Annie: Damn! Jarod: (Jarod enters, picks up the rejected cube and perches on the side of her desk.) The idea is to get all the same colours on the same side? Annie: Where were you during the eighties? Jarod: Oh I led a very isolated life. (He starts turning the cube.) When did you quit smoking? Annie: How did you know that? Jarod: Oh, your trembling hands, the nicotine stains on your fingertips, irritability. (She hides her hands.) You know you could try a simple Epsom salt bath. The salt it draws the tar and nicotine out of the bloodstream through the skin. Annie: Oh, you’re a doctor and a lawyer? Jarod: And I’m working on Indian Chief. (Sloane appears and places five mini cassettes on Annie’s desk.) Sloane: Annie, would you please transcribe, proof and hand deliver these to my boat tonight? Annie: Tonight? Oh no no no, Mr Sloane. I can’t because my daughter is having- Sloane: Is a very lovely girl who knows how valuable her mother is to this firm. Annie’s the best Jarod. (He smiles at her and she smiles back, a smile that quickly turns to a sneer as Sloane leaves. She turns back to Jarod.) Annie: Annie do this. Annie do that. I tell you it’s like being Sloane’s wife without the fringe benefits. (She stands.) Too bad pay checks are harder to quit than cigarettes. So, did you need something too? Jarod: Actually Bradley Dumont asked me to go over an old case file. Marcus Whitaker? Annie: Oh yeah. Mr Sloane had those files moved down to the basement. But I’m going to warn you it is impossible to find anything down there. Jarod: (He holds out the Rubik’s Cube to her, all colours matched on each side.) Nothing’s impossible. Basement (Jarod finds the Marcus Whitaker filing box and starts going through its contents. He reads the case file:“The People of the State of California Vs. Marcus Whitaker”, finds a newspaper article “Prosecutor Edwards Pleased with Whitaker Verdict”. There are photos of the murder victim and an enlarged photo of a shoe print with a measuring tape beside it. He pulls four video cassette tapes from the box titled “Sloane & Associates” 1-4. Finally he puts everything back inside the box, drops his briefcase on top of it, picks up the box and leaves.) Outside Office Building (Jarod emerges from the offices of Sloane & Associates still carrying the box and briefcase.) Isaac: Jarod! (Isaac appears in mini skirt, blonde wig and leopard print top.) Jarod: Isaac what are you doing here? Isaac: I got to thinking how nice you were, how decent, and I wanted to repay your kindness. Jarod: Repay? Isaac : My Chariot (He points to a yellow and black taxi parked on the road.) Jarod: Isaac it’s beautiful. Isaac: It will be more beautiful after thirty-seven payments – that’s when I plan to trade it in for a limousine. Actually I offer a very valuable service. You’d be surprised how many cab drivers won’t pick up a man in a dress. Jarod: (Surprised.) Really? Why? Isaac: (He looks dubiously at Jarod for a moment before smiling.) The truth is I’d like to offer my services as your personal chauffeur. Jarod: (Delighted.) No kidding? That’s great. (Isaac holds the back door open and Jarod puts his belongings inside.) Now are you sure you have a driver’s licence? Isaac: Don’t worry boss, you’re in good hands. (Jarod gets in as Isaac holds the door.) And I promise to be a perfect lady. (A horn sounds and a voice yells from the street.) Man: Hey baby! Isaac: (Slamming the door.) Up yours pal! The Centre (A girl is sitting drawing with an electronic pen onto a special pad. She has electrodes attached to her forehead and temples. On the table nearby are several faceless dolls in beautiful dresses. The monitor behind the girl shows what she’s drawing – a six pointed star. Sydney lifts the card that was face down in front of her – it’s a six pointed star. He smiles and shows it to her.) Sydney: Very good. (The girl smiles too. Miss Parker walks in.) Parker: Sydney, a word? (Sydney gives the girl a meaningful look – possibly a mental message? – and gets up. He and Parker step outside and Sydney closes the glass doors behind them. Inside the girl watches Miss Parker.) Parker: Do you want to tell me what’s going on? Sydney: Nothing really. An alpha brain wave experiment. (He looks towards where the girl sits on the other side of the glass wall.) Quite promising actually. Parker: That’s not what I mean and you know it. Sydney: You spoke to the Director? Parker: Answer the question. Sydney: Jarod wants to make a deal. Parker: A deal. Sydney: He wants to find out the truth, or part of it. It is the humane thing to do. (The girl looks up and then starts drawing again.) Parker: You are out of line lecturing anybody about humanity. I’m not the one who kept Jarod locked up for thirty years. (She lights up a cigarette.) I’m killing your deal Sydney. And then I’m going to find Jarod and I’m going to end this thing once and for all. (Parker leaves. Sydney looks back into the room where the girl has drawn a sad female face.) Outside Bookseller (There is a sign up outside saying “Book Signing: Allan Edwards Author of Prosecutor at Large 12:00 – 6pm”. Jarod leaves the shop. He takes a brand new copy of “My Days in Court” by Allan Edwards out of a bag, drops it on the ground and kicks it around. Isaac watches as Jarod takes a drink from a water fountain, then drops the book in the basin and runs water over it.) Isaac: Everybody’s a critic. Taxi (Blues music featuring very blusey trumpet is playing on Isaac’s radio as he drives. Jarod sits on the leopard print back seat.) Isaac: Doesn’t this music just give you chills up and down your spine? Jarod: It’s very sad. Isaac: It’s the Blues baby. Jarod: The Blues. I like it. Isaac: It’s about life. It’s about pain. It’s about truth. Jarod: Truth is good. Isaac: Yeah look at me for example. I come out here every day like a target. I say to the world Ha! This is me, take it or leave it. Jarod: Can I ask you a question? Isaac: Why do I dress like this? Jarod: Well it does seem to draw attention. Isaac: I don’t know why I do it. I just know it’s right for me. I mean I grew up like everybody else. I played football, dated a cheer leader, but I never felt complete until I found this. It hasn’t been easy. Jarod: Why do it then? Isaac: It’s who I am. People can’t go around acting like they’re something they aren’t . You do that long enough and pretty soon you can’t find yourself any more. Know what I mean? Jarod: (looking troubled.) Yeah. (Isaac sees Jarod’s expression in the rearview mirror and stops talking. Jarod picks up his red notebook from the seat beside him. He opens it to a newspaper article: “Learning Disabled Janitor Arrested in W.L.A. Murder”, and “Marcus Whitaker Sentenced In Audrey Price Slaying – Claims Innocence”. The last article has a prison photo.) California State Correctional Facility Overlooking Prison (Isaac drives up and Jarod gets out with a pair of binoculars. He looks through them at the prisoners in the yard.) Isaac: So who are we looking for? Jarod: His name is Marcus Whitaker. Isaac: A friend of yours? Jarod: Not exactly. (Jarod has located the man from the newspaper article. He’s sitting at a bench in the exercise yard, working on something. The other prisoners start filing back inside but Marcus works on. Two guards retrieve him.) Isaac: What’d he do? Jarod: Nothing. Nothing at all. The Centre Corridor Director: The Tower has considered all the variables and has decided to move forward with the deal. Parker: You can’t be serious? Director: I think you know that I am. Parker: The Chairman is going to hear about this. Director: Your father cast the deciding vote. (To Sydney.) The information Jarod requested will be on your desk within the hour. Use it wisely. (Sydney nods and the Director walks away.) Jarod’s Lair DSA 7/3/72 (Young Jarod is holding a rifle in a darkened sim lab. A picture is projected onto the wall.) Sydney: You only have one shot at the terrorist Jarod. Young Jarod: I had the dream again. Sydney: It’s just a dream Jarod. Forget about it and concentrate. Young Jarod: Is it possible to forget who you are and where you came from? Sydney: Jarod, please. Young Jarod: It’s just that in this dream I can’t see my mother’s face. She’s in the yard hanging the wash. Sydney: One shot Jarod. Time’s running out. The hostages are counting on you. Young Jarod: But I want to see her Sydney. I want to see my mother’s face. Sydney: Finish the simulation and I’ll see to it that you do. Young Jarod: Promise? Sydney: Promise. Young Jarod: (He spins to point the weapon at the projected image but stops.) Wait. I can’t complete the mission. I might hit a hostage. I might kill an innocent person. Sydney: Sometimes Jarod one life must be sacrificed in order to save others. (Jarod turns the DSA off, thinking on those words. He raises the newspaper article “Marcus Whitaker Sentenced in Audrey Price Slaying”. He inserts the first of the video tapes from the Whitaker file into his machine, sits back and eats Pez as he watches.) Video Tape TV Announcer: (Shows Marcus being led handcuffed to a police car.) Murder suspect Marcus Whitaker accused of beating Audrey Price to death in her apartment was arrested in the early morning hours in his janitor’s quarters of this west LA apartment building. TV Announcer: Marcus Whitaker has an unusual benefactor in this case - His employer real estate magnate Michael Metzger whose company owns the building in which the murder took place. Outside the Apartment Block (Jarod sits on the bonnet of Isaac’s car, staring at the apartment building shown in the video cassette.) Isaac: How long are we going to stay here? (Jarod doesn’t react.) Hell- oooooo! (Jarod remembers another part of the tapes he has watched, where Metzger is being interviewed by journalists as he enters a courthouse.) Metzger: Marjorie Price’s death is a tragedy but Marcus Whitaker shouldn’t be forced to take the wrap for the sloppy handling of this investigation. I’m just grateful that Ben Sloane has agreed to represent Marcus. (Jarod remembers footage of Sloane being interviewed.) Sloane: Mr Metzger was with me on my boat when word reached him that a murder had taken place on one of his properties. Naturally I offered my services Jarod: Isaac, let’s go shopping. (He slides off the car. Isaac is very pleased.) Isaac: Ooh! Now you’re talking my language. Shoe Store (Jarod crouches in the shoe store staring at the tread of a pair of black shoes. He inclines them slowly up and down, intent on the pattern. A male and a female shop assistant watch, amazed.) Sales Assistant: It’s creepy. He’s been doing that for almost an hour. Check out his girl friend. (Isaac stands in his usual female attire, looking at other shoes.) Jarod: Are these all the boat shoes you have? Sales Assistant: Yes Sir. Jarod: I’ll take them all. Sales Assistant: You want seven pairs of boat shoes? Jarod: Hm hm. Isaac: (Raising a pair of bright red high-heeled shoes.) Do you carry these in a thirteen? (The shop assistants are speechless.) Jarod’s Lair (Jarod is crouched in the middle of the living room floor. Behind the television shows a paused picture of Sloane. There’s a knock at the door. Jarod gets up, opens it and stands back so that the teenaged boy can enter the apartment.) Jarod: Well? Boy: I did it – just like you said. Jarod: And? Boy: (He lifts the book that Jarod bought earlier. The pages are now curling and blackened on the edges. However, it is basically still intact.) I dragged it around behind my bike. Jarod: Excellent. (He reaches for the book but the boy pulls it back.) Oh yes, right. Five dollars. Boy: That’s right. (He accepts the note, checks to make sure it’s real.) I have friends. Into stealing cars if you’re interested. Jarod: I’ll let you know. Boy: Cool! (The boy leaves. Jarod sets the grubby book down and resumes playback on his tv. It’s an interview with prosecutor Alan Edwards.) TV Interview Edwards: Mr Whitaker is the only possible perpetrator. The defence has no relevant evidence to the contrary. (Jarod stops the tape. He lifts up the enlarged crime photo of the shoe print and compares it to one of the deck shoes he bought at the shoe shop. They have the same tread pattern.) Jarod: You’re wrong Mr Edwards. Book Signing (Alan Edwards sits signing books at the bookshop.) Edwards: Thank you. Enjoy the book. (Jarod reaches the end of the queue and places his battered copy of Edwards’ book on the table.) My God, what did you do - drag this behind a car? Jarod: (Grinning.) Well actually I paid a kid to drag it behind his bike. (Edwards laughs.) Truthfully it’s been like a Bible to me. Edwards: Oh I’m flattered. Who should I make this out to? Jarod: John Corey Junior. Edwards: I knew a John Corey at Dartmouth. You’re not ah- Jarod: Guilty. Dad’s been after me to look you up for years. A Bar (Edwards and Jarod are sitting at the bar talking.) Edwards: So there’s your Father wearing nothing but a drunken grin running up and down the Durham Hallway shouting “Bonsai!” (He laughs.) Jarod: Dear old Dad. Edwards: Yeah. I never saw a better litigator in my life. Jarod: He said the same thing about you. I especially admired the way you brought down Ben Sloane a few years ago. The Whitaker trial. Edward: Oh. Sloane had no case. Jarod: Really? What about the shoe print? Edwards: How did you know about that? Jarod: I did a paper – The People Versus Whitaker at UCLA. I read the case files. Edwards: Five thousand pages? (He is amused at the thought.) Jarod: 5612 to be exact. Edwards: Michael Metzger buys Whitaker the most expensive lawyer in the city and the guy drops the ball. We couldn’t believe he missed it. Jarod: So the DA knew about the print? Edwards: We provided in Discovery. We kept waiting for Sloane to play the card, to create doubt, but it never came. Jarod: And you never said anything. Edwards: We had witnesses who said that Marcus Whitaker was obsessed with Audrey Price. His prints were all over the apartment. He was caught in the janitor’s quarters cleaning her blood off his clothes. Now, you don’t have to be Prowse to connect those dots. Jarod: And you never found the murder weapon? Edwards: Marcus Whitaker was guilty of murder. Ben Sloane was just guilty of being a bad lawyer. Prison Interview Room (Whitaker sits at a desk opposite Jarod. Jarod has removed his jacket and loosened his tie. He watches as Whitaker folds paper and adds it to a model in front of him. The expression on the young man’s face suggests that his mind is very focused on the object.) Marcus: Mr Sloane came to the police station. He was nice to me. He brought me a ham sandwich. (His tone of voice evidences a simplicity of mind.) Jarod: What are you making? Marcus: A paper clock. (He shows Jarod the internal workings of a paper clock.) A pen pal taught me. They really work. They’d be better with note card but the paper the guards give me gets all soft. Jarod: (He raises a small bunch of cards.) Would these do? Marcus: Can I have them? Jarod: Sure. (He gets the guard’s permission before handing them over.) Marcus I want to ask you some questions about your case. Marcus: Mr Sloane is my lawyer. Jarod: I know but I’m here to help him and you. Okay? Marcus: (He smiles.) Okay. Jarod: Can you tell me why you ran away the night that Audrey Price was killed? Marcus: I didn’t want to go to jail again. Jarod: You had gotten into some trouble when you lived with your mother, is that correct? Marcus: Some boys were making fun of her. I had to fight ‘em. I didn’t want to hurt anyone. I had to go to live at Milton. Jarod: The detention facility. Now I want to ask you about the night of the murder. Marcus: I was bringing flowers to Miss Price like I did every day. I was finishing up late. She would always pay me an extra few dollars for them. (He smiles briefly at the pleasant memory.) But this time when I walked in I found her body on the floor. (He’s obviously troubled by the memory. He clears his throat nervously.) Jarod: Marcus, Marcus, it’s okay. You don’t have to be afraid. Marcus: She was all twisted up. (His breathing becomes irregular.) Her face was covered with blood. The owl was sitting beside her. Jarod: The owl? Marcus: Made of rock. It was green. Miss Price had a whole family of them. She kept them on top of her coffee table. She looked so quiet, like she was sleeping, except for the blood. Jarod: You liked her. Marcus: She was nice to me. (He smiles again and picks up another card and starts to fold it.) The other lawyer said I wanted to touch her but I just thought she was nice. Jarod: Did you ever notice her having visitors? Boyfriends? Marcus: Mr Metzger would come visit her at lunch time almost every day. Jarod: Mr Metzger? Marcus: Yeah! He had a cool black car. It had real shiny wheels on it and the top was gone. Jarod: Marcus did you ever tell Mr Sloane or the police about Mr Metzger’s visits? Marcus: Oh Mr Sloane said that I shouldn’t say nothing. It might not look good. Mr Sloane always looks out for me. (He shows Jarod the paper clock again, smiling.) They really work. Jarod’s Lair (Jarod has a page titled “Phone Star, Inc.” up on his computer monitor. He searches for “Michael Metzger” and the cellular call details are displayed. Jarod moves the cursor down to highlight the phone call listed at 9:20. He picks up his phone and dials the number from the listing.) Jarod: It’s 9:20 and Michael Metzger has just killed a woman - who does he call? (The call is answered by a recorded message:.) Sloane: You’ve reached Benjamin Sloane at the Marina. I wish I was on my boat right now but I’m probably in my office working to pay for it. Leave your name and number and I’ll get back to you. (Jarod hangs up.) Isaac’s Taxi Outside a Restaurant (Jarod and Isaac watch as Metzger drives up in his black convertible.) Isaac: I don’t understand. Why would a defence lawyer like Mr Sloane put a poor, innocent man in jail? (He meets Sloane at the door of the restaurant. Jarod watches them through his binnoculars.) Jarod: To keep a rich, guilty one out. Jarod’s Lair (Jarod is dreaming again, the same sequence as before.) Mother: Hi Jarod. Jarod: Mum? Mum? (Jarod wakes with a start.) (He’s dressed and sitting at his laptop, talking on the phone.) Jarod: Time’s up Sydney - I need an answer Sydney: Miss Parker’s not happy. In fact she has removed herself from this case because the Centre has agreed to your request Jarod. Your information in return for the stolen disks. Jarod: They said that? Sydney: We, you and I, have guarantees from the Council Chairman and The Director. I’m sending it through now. (He takes an enlarged photo from a file and inserts it in a scanner.) I hope this is what you need Jarod. Jarod: (A picture of a lovely red-haired woman appears on Jarod’s monitor. He stares at it.) Is this her Sydney? Is this my mother? Sydney: Yes it is. Jarod: I’ll meet you at the place and time we agreed on earlier. (He hangs up, still staring at the picture, emotional.) (Jarod watches another of the tapes. Sloane is being interviewed by a reporter, Whitaker standing awkwardly beside him.) TV Announcer: Mr Sloane is it true that your client will not be testifying in his own defence? Sloane: Mr Whitaker suffers from a severe learning disability. It was his feeling and mine that it was not in his best interests to take the stand. TV Announcer: Well what is your assessment of the prosecution’s case so far? Sloane: I think this deliberation doesn’t bode well for the prosecution. Especially in the light of the fact that they still haven’t produced the murder weapon. (Jarod repeatedly replays that section.) the murder weapon……the murder weapon…..the murder weapon. Jarod: I wonder why, Dumont’s Office (Jarod knocks and steps in, holding papers.) Jarod: Bradley. Would you check my brief for the Whitaker hearing? I worked from your old appeal and I made a few notes. Dumont: You what? Jarod: I went over the old case files. There are some areas that we should explore. Dumont: No there aren’t. (He’s annoyed. He takes Jarod’s submission and drops it on his desk, then takes another wad of papers from his briefcase and hands it to Jarod.) Copy my draft. Change the date, stamp my signature on it and get it to the court by five o’clock. If you can’t handle that I’ll hire a monkey who can. (He leaves the office.) Jarod: Sure thing Brad. (He inserts Bradley’s brief into the shredder.) Outside Carpark (Dumont is having trouble starting his car.) Dumont: Dammit! (He gets out and opens the hood. While he’s looking at the engine Isaac appears dressed as a male chauffeur.) Isaac: Don’t fight it brother. At times like this a man’s gotta believe in fate. Bad luck meet good fortune. (He nods to a limousine.) My chariot. (Dumont gets into the back of Isaac’s limo and Isaac closes the door. He may look like a regular chauffeur but he’s still wearing purple hose and the red high heels that he purchased when Jarod bought the boat shoes.) Prison Interview Room Marcus: I got a letter from my mum. She’s really sick, she shouldn’t be alone. Jarod: Don’t worry Marcus you’re going to see your mother again soon. I promise. But first we have to go to court one more time. Mr Sloane will be there too. Marcus: What do I have to do? Jarod: Trust me. (Marcus nods slightly.) Isaac’s Limousine Isaac: So how was your lunch meeting? Dumont: (He is lying back against the seat looking very pleased with himself.) Extremely profitable. Arriving in this limo didn’t hurt negotiations either. (He realises they’ve missed a turn.) Excuse me umm, sir. This isn’t the way back to the office. Isaac: It’s such a fabulous day I thought we’d take a little ride. Dumont: (He laughs nervously.) A ride? To where? (Isaac laughs and pushes a button. A glass window between himself and his passenger rises.) Hey! (He tries to open the door but it’s locked.) What the? Sloane’s Office (It is late evening. Sloane is dictating into his recorder again.) Sloane: In the matter of Beaumont vs Markswatch (Jarod knocks on the glass door.) . . . Jarod? Jarod: I wanted to congratulate you on the Whitaker appeal. Dumont says that the new trial is a slam dunk. Sloane: New trial? Jarod: The court has accepted Dumont’s motion to present new evidence. Sloane: Evidence. Jarod: Yes, he’s confident that he’s going to have a warrant for the murder weapon by tomorrow. He didn’t tell you? Sloane: (Presses the intercom.) Annie. Where’s Dumont? Annie: He’s been out all afternoon. Jarod: The last I heard he was having lunch with Ira Kline, the criminal attorney for the- Sloane: I know who he is. (He gets up and calls out.) Annie! (He starts berating Annie with questions and orders. Jarod steals a couple of Sloane’s mini cassettes while the man is distracted.) Where the . . . Get a hold of . . . I want to know the hell where Dumont is! Isaac’s Limousine Dumont: Hey Pal. This is kidnapping. I’m a very successful attorney you know. (He is sweating profusely, the panic evident in his eyes.) Isaac: Ah ah ah! That’s gonna to cost you another hundred miles esquire. (He cackles away merrily as they pass a sign saying “Welcome to Nevada”.) Sloane’s Boat (Night has fallen. Jarod uses his binnoculars to watch from a distance as Sloane carries a paper bag under his arm onto the boat. The boat’s name is “Ironclad Alibi”.) Jarod’s Lair (Jarod makes a new tape from old dictation tapes as well as television interviews, using the wave editor on his laptop. Each time he plays one of Metzger’s tapes he records it into his laptop so that he can edit them.) Sloane (recorded.): Mr Metzger was with me on my boat when word reached- (Jarod makes a phone call.) Jarod: Hello I would like to book a non-stop flight to Los Angeles. (Jarod plays another cassette.) Sloane: Tell the associates that this is top priority. (Jarod makes another phone call.) Jarod: Yes I would like the number for the Los Angeles Chronicle. The City desk please. (Jarod plays another cassette.) Sloane: Annie, there’s something I want you to do for me. (Jarod receives a phone call.) Jarod: Hello. Mr Sloane. Oh no sir. I was just listening to some very interesting old recordings. The hearing is tomorrow at nine a.m.? Ah, yes sir, but shouldn’t we wait for Mr Dumont? Yes sir, I understand. I will see you first thing tomorrow morning. (He hangs up, smiling smugly.) Like clockwork. (He plays the recording he has created.) Sloane: Annie, there’s something I want you to do for me. (Jarod then records the entire message onto the mini-cassette player.) Sloane: Annie, top priority. There’s something I want you to do for me on my boat. Annie’s Office (Annie arrives the next day to start the day’s work. She puts down her coat and purse and plays her messages from Sloane.) Sloane: Annie, top priority. There’s something I want you to do for me on my boat. (Annie makes a face but jots down his instructions.) Courthouse (Jarod and Sloane walk slowly towards the court room.) Sloane: Just watch, listen and learn Jarod. You won’t see this kind of dismantling again soon. Jarod: I’m looking forward to it, sir. Sloane: What are the press doing here? (He steps forward and is promptly surrounded by reporters. Jarod watches, smiling.) Sloane: There is nothing I can say at this point in time but I will say that there is going to be some surprises. Airport (Sydney leaves the airport terminal and waves at a taxi, a sheet of paper in his hand fluttering.. He’s stopped by Sam. Miss Parker appears and takes the paper from Sydney’s hand. She reads what’s written there.) Parker: The District Courthouse. Sydney: What the hell . . . Parker: You didn’t seriously think that the Centre would cut a deal with Jarod? Double double cross Syd. Just get in. (They all get into the sedan parked in front of the taxi.) Courtroom (Whitaker is led into the courtroom by a guard. Jarod and Sloane sit in the defence attorneys’ chairs. Sloane looks annoyed that Whitaker has appeared.) Sloane: What the hell is he doing here? Jarod: I invited him. (Whitaker sits beside Jarod, who gives him a pat on the back.) Judge: On the record in People versus Whitaker, the court hearing a defence motion to present new evidence. Mr Holmes. Sloane: (Standing.) Your Honour, Mr Holmes is a junior associate in our firm. He doesn’t represent this particular client. Jarod: (Standing.) In all due respect Your Honour, I wrote the motion and I did the research for this hearing. To assign it to another attorney is to deny Marcus Whitaker a chance at fair representation. Sloane: What the hell do you think you’re doing? Jarod: Trying to get an innocent man a fair shot at justice. Judge: (She hits the gavel on her desk.) That’s enough. Mr Whitaker, is there an attorney that you would like to represent you? Marcus: (Whitaker stands, points at Jarod.) Jarod. Sloane: Your honour . . . Judge: It’s over Mr Sloane. Call your first witness Mr Holmes. Jarod: Your honour. The defence calls Benjamin Sloane. (There is a murmur of surprise from the public seating. The judge slams the gavel down. Sloane enters the witness box.) Jarod: Mr Sloane, you represented Marcus Whitaker to the very best of your ability is that correct? Sloane: Absolutely. Jarod: And to the best of your knowledge nothing slipped through the cracks? Sloane: There are no cracks at Sloane & Associates. Jarod: Hm. Would you explain your relationship with Michael Metzger? Sloane: He’s a client. Jarod: Were you aware that your client was carrying on an affair with Audrey Price at the time of the murder? Sloane: Do you have any proof of that? Jarod: Marcus Whitaker would gladly testify to it under oath. (He points at Marcus who is folding card.) Sloane: What’s your point Mr Holmes? Jarod: You went through great pains to establish the fact that Michael Metzger was a guest on your boat at the time of the murder, is that correct? Sloane: I wouldn’t call it great pains. He was there. Jarod: Do you remember what time Audrey Price was killed? Sloane: Between 9 and 9:15 if memory serves me. Jarod: Interesting. Then maybe you could tell me why Mr Metzger made a cell phone call to your boat at (he picks up a piece of paper from his desk and consults it.) 9.20 the very same night that he was with you. Judge: May I see that Mr Holmes? (Jarod gives her the phone report and she checks it before handing it back.) Proceed. Jarod: For the record. The DA has catalogued this photo as a partial shoeprint from the murder scene. (He raises the shoe print photo.) Mr Sloane would you explain to the court why the jury never saw this photograph? Sloane: The police never made a positive match. It proves nothing. Jarod: Well perhaps I could help the police out. It’s a size eleven deck shoe. You were on your boat that night, weren’t you Mr Sloane? Sloane: (In an amused tone.) So now I’m the killer? Jarod: No, you were the janitor. We’ll get to the killer. Sloane: Your honour this is pointless harassment. Judge: Mr Holmes. (The door at the back of the courtroom opens.) Jarod: One moment please. (Annie enters and hands over a heavy bag to Jarod.) Annie: Is Mr Sloane on trial? Jarod: Not officially. Not yet anyway. (Annie sits down. Jarod watches Sloane, a smug grin on his face.) I love this part. A size eleven deck shoe from Mr Sloane’s closet. Sloane: It proves nothing. Jarod: No. But this certainly does. (He pulls out a heavy green object that has been wrapped in plastic.) The murder weapon. Stained with the victim’s blood. Mr Sloane would you care to explain to the court what the long lost murder weapon was doing on your boat? Sloane: This is ridiculous. Jarod: I don’t think that Michael Metzger thinks so. You’ve been blackmailing him with this since the murder trial. (He slams the heavy object on the table in front of the prosecutor.) Michael Metzger beat Audrey Price to death. And then he called upon Mr Sloane to clean up the mess. Only before you got there Mr Whitaker arrived. He found the victim. He panicked. He ran away. You allowed an innocent man to go to jail. If I’ve missed something, feel free to jump in. Sloane: Your Honour there hasn’t been a piece of evidence presented here that a good defence attorney couldn’t shoot down. Judge: Then I suggest you find a very good one. I’m ordering you into custody as an accessory to murder. I’m issuing a bench warrant for the arrest of Michael Metzger. Court adjourned. (She uses her gavel to indicate the end of the procedings.) Sloane: (Grabbing Jarod’s sleeve.) I don’t know what kind of law you’re practicing here . . . Jarod: The kind of law that applies to millionaires too. (He walks back to Whitaker and shakes his hand.) Congratulations Marcus you’re a free man. Outside the Courtroom (Sydney, Parker and Sam step out of an elevator and start to march down a corridor just as Jarod rounds a corner into their direct path. Parker, Sydney and Sam spot him.) Parker: Go Sam! We’ll head him off downstairs. (Sam tries to follow Jarod through the security area but he has to go through a metal detector. It sounds loudly and several security men stop his progress.) Guard: Hey! Hold it right there Sam: You don’t understand. I have a permit to carry that. (Meanwhile Parker and Sydney are racing down the stairs. Parker pushes people aside in her haste.) Parker: Excuse me. ‘scuse me! Out of my way! (Jarod continues walking calmly through the building towards the exit. Parker and Sydney spot him.) Sydney: That way. Jarod! (Jarod hurries away. He makes it out of the building well before Parker and Sydney, runs down the last flight of external stairs and runs around the corner of the building towards Isaac’s yellow and black taxi.) Parker: (They stop at the top of the stairs looking out over the milling people below them. They do not see Jarod.) Dammit! (She and Sydney realise they’ve lost him. They make their way back to their own car.) Next time I’m just going to shoot the little pain in the ass. (She sees a briefcase on the pavement beside their car. She picks it up and places it on the hood before opening it. Tacked onto the inside of the lid is the note “You double crossed me - Jarod”. Sydney picks up a Rubik’s cube from inside the case. Jarod honks his horn and drives by in the taxi.) Parker: Get in the car. (They get in quickly but the car won’t start. Sydney sits smiling to himself and Parker glares at him. Jarod pauses further along the street and smiles at the teenaged boy who wrecked the book for him. The boy holds up the distributor cap from Parker’s engine. The boy, unsmilingly, salutes Jarod as Jarod drives away.) Courthouse Holding Cells (A guard leads an angry Metzger into a cell.) Guard: Right this way Mr Metzger. Metzger: I want to see my attorney, alright? I said I want to see my attorney! Guard: You’re in luck. (Metzger is placed in the cell next to Sloane. They glare at each other angrily through the bars.) Outside Correctional Facility (Whitaker is allowed to leave through the gates. He’s carrying a paper bag with his few belongings. Isaac whistles from across the road. He’s standing in front of his new limousine, dressed in a stylish ladies’ chaffeur uniform. When he has Whitaker’s attention he opens the back door of the limo and assists a woman from the rear. Whitaker is delighted and hugs her.) Marcus: Mum! How did you get here? Mother: A man sent me a ticket. (Isaac passes him a box.) Mother: What is it? Marcus: (He retrieves an object and a note from the box.) A Paper clock. (He reads the message haltingly.) “Now you have all the time in the world. Cherish your freedom Marcus. Your pen pal, Jarod.” Rodeo (Jarod sits in cowboy attire atop a bull, waiting for the gate to open.) Man: Hold onto it. Right there. You right? Jarod: Eight seconds? That’s it. Eight seconds. Let it rip! (The buzzer sounds, the gate opens, and the bull leaps from the holding pen and proceeds to buck the weight from its back. Jarod hangs on, one arm in the air as the bull bucks and spins.) Announcer: OH! WATCH THAT BULL FALL RIGHT OUT OF THAT RIG!!! WHAT A RIDE!! Closing Credits