SUSPECT (A SHORT FILM)

Written by

David Masters

4036 Clayton Ave

Los Angeles 90027

424 324 1254

SCENE 1

EXT. SONNY VALENTINE’S APARTMENT. DAY.

Two men FRANKLIN and DUPRIS wait outside SONNY VALENTINE’s

apartment door. They are smartly dressed in conservative cut
suits. They bang impatiently. We hear SONNY VALENTINE’s voice
from inside the apartment.

VALENTINE (O.C)
Yeah yeah, I’m coming...

FRANKLIN begins to put on latex gloves. He notices that

DUPRIS hasn’t budged.

FRANKLIN
Not wearing gloves?

DUPRIS
Of course I’m wearing gloves.

FRANKLIN
You don’t look like you’re wearing
gloves.

FRANKLIN pounds on the door again.

VALENTINE (O.C)
Yeah yeah, I’m coming...

DUPRIS
I don’t like to put them on too
soon - I have this reaction.

FRANKLIN
What sort of a reaction?

DUPRIS
I get really itchy hands mainly and
like a rash? It’s a nightmare?

FRANKLIN
Really, I didn’t know that?

FRANKLIN pounds on the door again.

VALENTINE (O.C)
Heh, I said I’m coming OK!?
 2.

FRANKLIN
You know you should ask for latex
free gloves, it’s probably the
latex....

DUPRIS
I talked to my kinesiologist about
it and she believes it’s something
in the powder they put inside the
gloves...

FRANKLIN
That’s interesting...anyway I think
you should get ready...

DUPRIS
I’ve got time, he’ll be a while
yet, his type always are.

FRANKLIN
He said he was just coming I really
think you should get ready...

DUPRIS
Trust me...I deal with these guys
all the time...

The door opens suddenly and VALENTINE stands there in a short

robe his hair in some sort of net or rollers. He’s smoking a
cigarette. DUPRIS spins around and begins to rapidly put on
his gloves and mask. FRANKLIN rolls his eyes at DUPRIS’s lack
of preparedness. He turns to VALENTINE and smiles.

FRANKLIN
Mr. Delgardo..?

Unsure what to make of the two callers VALENTINE stares his

attention moving back and forth between FRANKLIN and DUPRIS.

VALENTINE
Who the fuck are you?

FRANKLIN glances to DUPRIS who’s still struggling with his

gloves.

FRANKLIN
Leon Delgardo?

VALENTINE
No.

FRANKLIN
Yes you are.
 3.

VALENTINE
Is this a fucking joke?...You got
the wrong guy buddy, now fuck off
and take the gimp with you.

VALENTINE flicks his cigarette at FRANKLIN (it bounces off

his chest) and goes to shut the door on the two men but
DUPRIS has managed to get his gloves on. He spins around
stops the door mid slam and grabs VALENTINE by the throat
marching him backwards into the apartment. FRANKLIN follows
closing the door behind him.

SCENE 2

INT. VALENTINE’S APARTMENT. DAY

DUPRIS marches VALENTINE backwards and pushes him onto a

chair in the middle of the living room. DUPRIS stands over
him, poised. FRANKLIN closes the door behind him as he enters
but walks past the seated VALENTINE to check the apartment.
He talks to VALENTINE as he searches the space to make sure
no one else is there with him.

VALENTINE
What the fuck is going on? Who are
you?

FRANKLIN
Are you Leon Delgardo?

VALENTINE
No! Get the fuck out of my
apartment man!

FRANKLIN
Are you Leon Delgardo?...You know
you are, just say it.

VALENTINE
Are you deaf? Fuck off!

DUPRIS steps forward and punches VALENTINE hard in the face.

FRANKLIN
Are you Leon Delgardo? Yes or no?

VALENTINE holds his face, blood is beginning to run from

between his fingers.
 4.

VALENTINE
You broke my fucking nose man.
Jesus! My name’s Valentine!
Valentine!

FRANKLIN returns from his search to stand in front of

VALENTINE

FRANKLIN
You got ID?

VALENTINE
In my wallet, on the side.

VALENTINE gestures across the room to a side unit as he

nurses his nose. DUPRIS walks over to the unit. He finds the
wallet, goes through it pulling out credit cards he reads the
names.

VALENTINE (CONT’D)
You better have a fucking warrant
for this man...

FRANKLIN
Because?

VALENTINE
Because?...because? my lawyers
gonna have you’re fucking arse for
this...

FRANKLIN
You don’t have a lawyer...

DUPRIS’s holding an ID. He looks at the name and the photo,

holds it up to compare the photo to VALENTINE. DUPRIS snorts
and tosses the wallet and cards to one side.

VALENTINE
What! What is this? You got to be
kidding me?

DUPRIS kicks his foot against a holdall getting FRANKLIN’S

attention.

FRANKLIN
..looks like we called just in
time...

VALENTINE
I’ve got a trip planned..So what?
 5.

FRANKLIN
...Mr. Delgardo...

VALENTINE
It’s Valentine you fucking moron!

DUPRIS, moving back toward VALENTINE picks up an ashtray and

brings it down on the back of VALENTINES head. VALENTINE
yells out in pain and cradles his face speaking from between
his fingers.

FRANKLIN
We should swab him.

DUPRIS
We?

FRANKLIN
You know what I mean.

DUPRIS
Yeah I know what you mean, you mean
I should swab him.

FRANKLIN
Well, you do have the swab kit...

DUPRIS
And that’s another thing, why do I
always have the swab kit?

FRANKLIN pauses cautious of being drawn into something.

VALENTINE
Could I have a towel please?

DUPRIS
(To VALENTINE) Shut up!...(To
FRANKLIN) answer me that?

FRANKLIN
You know what? This is a really
interesting conversation. Maybe we
can continue it as you’re swabbing
the guy?

DUPRIS
You have a really patronizing tone,
you know that? Technically we’re
the same grade.

FRANKLIN
Let’s just forget the swabbing, eh?
 6.

DUPRIS
Sure.

FRANKLIN
You wanna do the signing?

DUPRIS
Not really, no.

FRANKLIN takes a folded document out of his breast pocket

with a pen. He unfolds it and turns to the back page.

FRANKLIN
Sure

DUPRIS
Sure.

He offers the papers and the pen to VALENTINE.

FRANKLIN
Please sign at the bottom where
indicated.

VALENTINE
I’m not signing anything.

DUPRIS moves toward VALENTINE who senses this and cringes

away.

VALENTINE (CONT’D)
All right, all right I’ll fucking
sign it. Jesus...I don’t know
what’s going on here but I’m
telling you, you guys are making a
big fucking mistake.

FRANKLIN
In signing the document you agree
that this meeting never took place.

VALENTINE considers this.

FRANKLIN (CONT’D)
I know it doesn’t make sense...But
it does...

FRANKLIN glances at the signed document he hesitates as he

reads the signature. He glances toward VALENTINE and then
shrugs.

FRANKLIN (CONT’D)
Whatever...
 7.

FRANKLIN puts the signed papers back in his jacket pocket. He

draws up a near by chair and sits opposite VALENTINE.

FRANKLIN (CONT’D)
Are you currently employed as a
security operative by C-TEC
Systems?

VALENTINE
No, who the hell are C-TEC?

DUPRIS has returned to the table and is searching through

VALENTINES weekend bag.

FRANKLIN
Are you currently employed as a
security operative by C-TEC Systems
at the secure site situated at 2358
East Lafayette Street. Yes or no?

VALENTINE
No. I’m currently employed as
contract engineer for a heating
maintenance company.

FRANKLIN
Really?

VALENTINE
Yes really. Look this is nuts
you’ve got the wrong guy...I’m
telling you...you’ve made a
mistake...

FRANKLIN
There’s only one person who’s made
a mistake around here Mr.
Delgardo...

DUPRIS
But we can help you...

FRANKLIN
...We can help you.

VALENTINE looks from one man to the other as a horrible

tension fills the air.
 8.

FRANKLIN (CONT’D)
Has anyone approached you Mr.
Delgardo seeking information with
regards to the operations or the
nature of the stored material at
the site on 2358 East Lafayette
Street?

VALENTINE
No...no one...

DUPRIS begins to walk to back of the sofa. VALENTINE sensing

DUPRIS’ movement tries to keep one eye on DUPRIS And one on
FRANKLIN

FRANKLIN
So you do admit that you work there
but maintain that you’ve not been
contacted?

VALENTINE
No...

FRANKLIN
No you don’t work there or no
you’ve not been contacted?

VALENTINE
Both...neither...

DUPRIS
Which?

VALENTINE
Look I don’t know what you’re
talking about...honestly you’ve got
the wrong guy...

FRANKLIN changes tack.

FRANKLIN
Look I understand...honestly I do.
It can’t have been easy working
there under those circumstances.
The rumours..there were rumours
right? What it was you were sitting
on? Maybe you thought “hell I’m not
getting paid enough for this..” or
maybe you even thought you we’re
doing the right thing...maybe?
that’s it isn’t it?
(MORE)
 9.

FRANKLIN (CONT'D)
You thought you were doing the
right thing, that people ought to
know what was going on, right under
their noses...Am I right?...You’re
contact, they told you they were a
journalist didn’t they?

VALENTINE stares back at FRANKLIN. He breaks, half laughing

at the absurdity of it all.

VALENTINE
I have no idea what the fuck it is
you’re talking about.

DUPRIS
You’re lying...I can smell it.

VALENTINE
I’m not lying...

DUPRIS lunges forward and grabs VALENTINE by the hair. He

yanks VALENTINE’S head back and looks into his eyes.

DUPRIS
Your breath stinks of treachery and
deception. It disgusts me.

DUPRIS leans down and whispers into VALENTINE’s ear.

VALENTINE tries to pull away frightened and in pain.

DUPRIS (CONT’D)
You fucking traitor.

VALENTINE
What? No! look, there’s been a
mistake...that really really
hurts...you gotta believe me...I’m
not who you think I am I haven’t
done anything...

FRANKLIN
...We have evidence that you’ve
been passing restricted information
to a foreign agent or agents
hostile to the interests of this
country.

VALENTINE tries to look toward FRANKLIN in spite of his head

being pulled back up toward DUPRIS. He can’t believe what’s
going on.
 10.

VALENTINE
What! No!...listen please you’ve
made a mistake I’m a fucking
heating engineer...a heating
engineer ...

FRANKLIN
...Who’s your contact Mr. Delgardo.

DUPRIS
Your contact, you parasite!

VALENTINE
I don’t have a contact...I have a
supervisor his name’s Jerry Gifford
call him he’ll tell you who I
am....I don’t have a fucking
contact!

FRANKLIN looks to DUPRIS. They’ve heard it all before.

FRANKLIN
...and I don’t have time for this.

DUPRIS
Me neither...

SCENE 3

FRANKLIN looks up toward DUPRIS. There’s a flash of shiny

metal and we see that DUPRIS is holding a cut throat razor.
More importantly VALENTINE sees the cut throat razor in
DUPRIS’ hand hovering above his head. He gasps

VALENTINE
Wait!

FRANKLIN
Oh, we’re not doing that are we?

DUPRIS
I thought we might?...

FRANKLIN in mock horror holds his hand up to his face and

half looks away.

FRANKLIN
I hate this one. Tell me when it’s
over.

DUPRIS
Looks like you need a shave Mr.
Delgardo...hold still.
 11.

DUPRIS yanks VALENTINE’S hair extra tight. VALENTINE winces.

DUPRIS very slowly places the blade against VALENTINE’S neck

VALENTINE
It’s Valantine...I swear...please!

DUPRIS
Shhhhh....

DUPRIS very slowly drags the dry blade up VALENTINE’S neck

toward his chin. We hear the sound of the metal scraping
against VALENTINE’S skin. VALENTINE rigid with fear and
sweating struggles to keep his panic under control. His
breathing is rapid and shallow. He sweats. As the blade
reaches VALENTINE’S chin DUPRIS flicks it up nicking an inch
of VALENTINE’S skin. VALENTINE gasps. Blood seeps out of the
cut.

DUPRIS (CONT’D)
Tut. Let’s have another go.

VALENTINE begins to tremble and sob

FRANKLIN
Are we done yet?

VALENTINE
Don’t...please don’t...please...I
don’t anything...honestly...

FRANKLIN
I don’t know about you but I’m not
sure how much of this I can take.

VALENTINE
Please...stop..I’ll tell you what
you want...

DUPRIS
Yeah, right...

DUPRIS brings the razor back to VALENTINE’s throat to begin

the whole process again.

VALENTINE
I will...I will...honestly I
will...

FRANKLIN shoots a glance at DUPRIS. DUPRIS moves the razor

away from VALENTINE’S neck, but only a little. VALENTINE
pants collecting his thoughts

FRANKLIN
Go on...
 12.

VALENTINE
This guy...I don’t know his name...

FRANKLIN frustrated and restless throws his arms up. DUPRIS

grabs VALENTINE’S hair once more pulling his head back.
DUPRIS draws the blade up VALENTINE’s neck and up his face
toward his eye. VALENTINE shakes uncontrollably.

FRANKLIN
We know it’s a woman!

DUPRIS pauses keeping the razor against VALENTINES FACE but

allowing him to respond.

VALENTINE
Yes...yes...it was a woman...a
woman... ...said she was a
jounalist she was doing a story...a
story...

DUPRIS moves the blade away and waits. FRANKLIN, standing

shakes himself down. DUPRIS lets VALENTINE’S hair go.
VALENTINE stretches his neck and feels the cut on his face.
He looks toward FRANKLIN.

SCENE 4

FRANKLIN
Man...I’m so glad we got that
over...that was so tense wasn’t it?
There. We’re done. Simple.

VALENTINE
Really?

FRANKLIN
Oh no, wait. Haven’t you’ve just
told me everything I just told you.

VALENTINE sobs.

VALENTINE
Please...

FRANKLIN
Please? Please? No...Not until you
tell me what I want to know...

VALENTINE seems to have gone into shock he’s trembling and

disoreintated. FRANKLIN gets out a cell phone he slides his
thumb across the screen a a couple of times. He holds the
screen up to VALENTINE
 13.

FRANKLIN (CONT’D)
This her?

VALENTINE doesn’t react.

FRANKLIN (CONT’D)
Is this your contact? look at
her...look at her...

VALENTINE drags himself back from the edge and slowly turns
to look at the phone. We see the image of a woman looking
back at us. VALENTINE glances from the phone to FRANKLIN and
back.

FRANKLIN (CONT’D)
Is it?

VALENTINE
I...

FRANKLIN
Is it?...Is this your contact?

VALENTINE
Yes...

FRANKLIN
You sure?

VALENTINE
Yes...

FRANKLIN
Are you sure ...look at her. Are
you sure?

VALENTINE
Yes!..Yes I’m sure.

FRANKLIN
Good.

FRANKLIN launches a memo app. He hits record and places it on

the coffee table in front of VALENTINE. He sits.

FRANKLIN (CONT’D)
Let’s have another go. This woman?

VALENTINE
What?

FRANKLIN
Tell me about her. Does she have a
name?
 14.

VALENTINE
I don’t know...she didn’t say...

FRANKLIN considers this.

FRANKLIN
How did you agree to contact her?

VALENTINE
I never contacted her...I never
told her anything...I swear.

FRANKLIN
But if you had...how were you to do
it?

VALENTINE
Er...er...I was to call her.

FRANKLIN
Number?

VALENTINE
What?

FRANKLIN
The number?

VALENTINE
What?

FRANKLIN
The number?

VALENTINE shakes his head.

FRANKLIN (CONT’D)
No..?

VALENTINE
...I can’t...

FRANKLIN
Can’t or wont?

VALENTINE
I can’t remember

FRANKLIN
Did you write it down?...store it
in your phone.

DUPRIS has moved off to the side where the wallet was. He
holds up a cell phone.
 15.

DUPRIS
This it?

SCENE 5

Suddenly, there’s a knock at the door. All three freeze.

There’s moment where all of them assess the situation. Almost
simultaneously they all arrive at the same conclusion:
VALENTINE can raise the alarm. VALENTINE goes to scream but
DUPRIS has dashed back across the room to grabs him from
behind pulling his hand across his face and mouth just in
time.

VALENTINE furiously struggles and fights to get free.

FRANKLIN moves to the door quietly and peers through the spy
hole. He glances back to see DUPRIS struggling against the
violent thrashing of VALENTINE. He gestures for DUPRIS to
keep the noise down - as if he’s not! There’s another knock.
FRANKLIN waits for what seems the longest time. VALENTINE
continues to struggle, DUPRIS fights to contain him.

FRANKLIN
OK, they’ve gone.

DUPRIS continues to restrain a struggling VALENTINE.

FRANKLIN (CONT’D)
They’ve gone! They’ve gone!

Slowly VALENTINE’s struggle simmers down and loses heart. He

look toward the FRANKLIN at the door, all hope lost he begins
cradles his head in his hands sobbing.

FRANKLIN (CONT’D)
You know what? I’ve heard enough...

FRANKLIN moves back across the room.

FRANKLIN (CONT’D)
Let’s wrap this up.

FRANKLIN arrives at the table and chair and leans in to

retrieve his phone, as he does so there’s a loud bang.
There’s a spray of blood and matter across the coffee table
and VALENTINE’S body rocks forward and slumps into a heap.
FRANKLIN jumps. DUPRIS has shot VALENTINE in the back of the
head.

FRANKLIN (CONT’D)
What did you do that for?

DUPRIS
No loose ends you said!
 16.

FRANKLIN
Not that! (FRANKLIN gestures to
VALENTINES slumped body. That! (He
gestures to his jacket sleeve and
arm) Why did you do it then? Look
at my suit! Jesus...and you’ve got
the shot on the audio...how’s that
going to look?

DUPRIS
You mean sound.

FRANKLIN
Are you trying to be funny?

FRANKLIN looks at his arm in horror and the fact there’s

“matter” on his cell phone. He looks around for something to
wipe it on. He chooses VALENTINE’S slumped motionless
shoulder.

DUPRIS
I didn’t know you were going to
lean in.

FRANKLIN
What? I always fetch my phone
first. For this very reason. Look
at it...it’s disgusting...look at
my suit...

DUPRIS
I’m sorry...

FRANKLIN unable to decide what to do with his phone hands it

to DUPRIS to deal with.

FRANKLIN
C’mon lets get out of here.

SCENE 6

EXT. VALENTINE’S APARTMENT - DAY.

As FRANKLIN leaves through the door and shuts it behind him.

He looks at his sleeve in disgust. Something catches his eye.
He notices that the last digit of the door number 189 has
been knocked off axis. FRANKLIN reaches out. The number
appears to rotate and could either to read as 6 or 9. It’s
unclear as to which it should be. FRANKLIN spins the number
around slowly so that it now reads 186. FRANKLIN looks to
DUPRIS who’s stopped several yards ahead. FRANKLIN glances
toward the adjacent apartment. There’s no number on the wall
to check against. FRANKLIN heaves a sigh.
 17.

DUPRIS
What?

FRANKLIN
...We are so not the same grade...

FADE OUT.