ACT TWO
FADE IN:
INT. "THE BOX"/HOMICIDE UNIT - NIGHT
SHANNON sits opposite PEMBLETON and BOLANDER.
BOLANDER
Shannon, we'd like you tell us
exactly what you remember. Don't
leave anything out, no matter how
trivial may seem.
PULL BACK to REVEAL BAYLISS in Observation Room.
SHANNON
Jim is a good man. A good husband.
A good, a great father.
BOLANDER
No one's attacking his character.
PEMBLETON
We need to hear what happened.
SHANNON
I'm not sure that what I remember
is what happened...
PEMBLETON
Where were you when the doorbell
rang?
SHANNON
In the kitchen, cleaning up.
On SHANNON, nervous,
FLASH BACK TO:
INT. KITCHEN/JIM BAYLISS HOME - EARLY EVENING
SHANNON puts the last plate in the dishwasher, turns it on.
PEMBLETON (V.O.)
Where was your husband?
SHANNON (V.O.)
In the den. Working, I guess.
PEMBLETON (V.O.)
Where were your children?
SHANNON (V.O.)
I'd just put the baby down for the
night. I don't know where the
other two were. No, wait, maybe
they were with Jim...
PEMBLETON (V.O.)
It's not important. Go on.
The doorbell RINGS.
SHANNON (V.O.)
I heard the bell. It rang a couple
times. I figured Jim wasn't going
to get it, so I went.
She crosses out.
INT. LIVING ROOM/JIM BAYLISS HOME - EARLY EVENING
SHANNON goes to front door, opens it, revealing GERSEL.
SHANNON (V.O.)
This young man was standing there,
with white makeup on. At first, I
was startled, so I let out this
yelp. He was laughing and dancing
and singing some song. But in a
foreign language. I asked him what
he wanted and he kept talking in
this odd language. So, I said,
"Wait a moment, I'll get my
husband" and I shut the door.
SHANNON shuts door.
SHANNON (V.O.) (CONT.)
He started knocking on the door and
laughing and singing again.
She exits.
INT. HALLWAY/JIM BAYLISS HOME - EARLY EVENING
SHANNON crosses to Den.
BOLANDER (V.O.)
Did he seem to be on drugs?
SHANNON (V.O.)
Yes. Maybe.
JIM comes out of Den as she approaches.
SHANNON (V.O.) (CONT.)
I told Jim what was going on. We
went back to the living room.
BOLANDER (V.O.)
You went back to the front door
with him?
JIM and SHANNON exit.
INT. LIVING ROOM/JIM BAYLISS HOME - EARLY EVENING
JIM and SHANNON enter.
SHANNON (V.O.)
Yes. Well, he went to the front
door. I stayed back aways.
She stands in archway between Hall and Living Room. JIM
opens door.
SHANNON (V.O.) (CONT.)
Jim tried to figure out what the
young man wanted. But he was being
so silly and loud and aggressive,
that Jim finally lost his patience.
With both hands, JIM shoves GERSEL, who falls backwards onto
sidewalk. JIM SLAMS door.
SHANNON (V.O.) (CONT.)
But the young man wouldn't go away.
He kept knocking and knocking,
yelling and singing. That's when I
went back to check on the kids. I
suddenly got very worried about
them. We've been having some
problems in our area.
INT. HALLWAY/JIM BAYLISS HOME - EARLY EVENING
SHANNON walks toward Den.
SHANNON (V.O.)
I was walking down the hall and --
this is inane, but -- the
floorboards squeaked.
I remember thinking about how the
floor was squeaking, when all of a
sudden I heard --
ECU of SHANNON's face. On the SOUND of the gun BLAST,
FLASH FORWARD
TO:
INT. "THE BOX"/HOMICIDE UNIT - NIGHT
ECU of SHANNON's face.
SHANNON
I'll never forget that sound. It
echoed through our house. It shook
the house, like an earthquake...
PEMBLETON
From what you're saying, the
situation at the door was tense but
explosive. How did things escalate
so fast?
SHANNON
Jim can get very frustrated by
people who don't speak English
well. He always says that the taxi
cab drivers in Baltimore only know
their way around Beirut.
PEMBLETON rubs his hand across his bald head.
BOLANDER
Well, uh, thank you.
SHANNON
I'm done?
BOLANDER
You're done. I'll have an officer
drive you home.
SHANNON
If you don't mind, I'd rather wait
for my husband.
BOLANDER turns from SHANNON to PEMBLETON, then back to
SHANNON. BOLANDER smiles his friendliest smile.
BOLANDER
No problem.
SHANNON rises.
INT. OBSERVATION ROOM/HOMICIDE UNIT - NIGHT
BAYLISS watches SHANNON and BOLANDER exit. KAY HOWARD
enters, carrying a cup of coffee. BAYLISS turns to face her.
HOWARD offers cup.
HOWARD
Thought you could use this.
BAYLISS
Thanks.
(sips)
It's black.
HOWARD
I wasn't sure how you take it.
BAYLISS
Usually with a little cream.
HOWARD
Oh. Sorry. You want me to get you
some cream?
BAYLISS
No.
BAYLISS turns, looks back into "The Box". Howard exits.
INT. "THE BOX"/HOMICIDE UNIT - NIGHT
PEMBLETON and BOLANDER sit opposite SCHOLTZ, still wearing
whiteface and leather jacket.
BOLANDER
You were friends with Hikmet and
Gersel.
SCHOLTZ
Yes, he goes to my high school...
He came in this past September.
PULL BACK to REVEAL BAYLISS in Observation Room.
PEMBLETON
You two were going to a party
tonight?
SCHOLTZ
A Kiss party.
BOLANDER
What is that? A make-out party?
SCHOLTZ
Kiss, the rock group? This is the
way they used to dress. A bunch of
us are hardcore Kiss fans. Hikmet
thought Gene Simmons was the
coolest. One of the girls in our
school decided to have a costume
party... Do you think I could get a
towel? The makeup is start