FADE IN:
EXT. A MISTY FOREST - MORNING
CICADAS
A puddle reflects what may as well be a Bierstadt.
SPLASH!
A pair of boots stamp out the image.
DANIEL COLSON
The quintessential hick. Waist-high waders and a paper sack breakfast in hand.
A startled herd of deer bolt from the brush ahead, running away from the ruckus.
He places the folded top of the paper sack between his teeth. He climbs the log and holds up an imaginary rifle as they disappear into the fog.
He perspires heavily.
AN OWL ON A TREE BRANCH
He continues walking, and the trees thin. The fog clears.
Behind him, open sky.
He bends out of view and returns, placing a hard hat on his head. His other arm slings an orange safety vest over his shoulder.
The back of the vest reads: Wayne Timber, LLC.
He bends again, elbow jerking with the mechanical rattle of a two-cycle motor.
His thumb presses the primer, gummed over with sawdust and grease.
Fuel and air bubbles fill the line.
He stands again, wiping the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand.
The slope gives way behind him as he yanks the pull rope again.
He stands, pulling a chainsaw into view.
He pulls the rope several times more then stops, looking out over the clearcut valley.
For miles, only dirt and stumps.
He pulls the rope again, and the chainsaw roars to life.
He squeezes the accelerator. The motor buzzes, and smoke fills the air around him.
THE CHAINSAW
Digs into the bark of a pine tree, angling back and forth at the hilt.
Opposite him, a large metal tree spike protrudes from the bark.
The more he angles, the closer the chain comes to the spike.
CHINK-CHINK-CHINK
The metal of the chain makes contact, and the saw jerks.
His eyes widen, but it’s too late.
The chain snaps, whips loose, coming around and off the bar.
It smacks Daniel in the face, splitting it near in two.
He staggers, hands trembling, and collapses backward, downhill.
Blood darkens the moss.
His limbs move erratically, hands grasping at the earth as he gurgles blood.
One of his boots swings under a bush, kicking up several small pieces of human bone.
One of his eyes is a large gash, the other wide and glassy.
MATCH CUT TO:
EXT. U.S.S. RAZORBACK — DAY
NORA BLACK
Peers through a monocular.
AN OLD DECOMMISSIONED SUBMARINE sits, docked along the river’s edge.
She stands on the deck.
THE MAIN STREET BRIDGE stretches the river in front of her. Beyond that — through the thick humidity — lies Rock City’s modest commercial district.
A tourist leans from a port window.
Others walk past Nora to the exit.
WAVES LAP THE HULL
A barge crawls along the water beneath the bridge.
THROUGH THE MONOCULAR
She scans the barge, moving from the I.D. number on the bow to the sparse crew members, and over the tarp of the cargo hold.
WAYNE TIMBER, LLC. - MIDHEAVEN, AR
ACL-21315
THE MONOCULAR SHUTTER SNAPS
Nora lifts the mic on her headphones.
NORA
Alpha-lima-charlie-2-1-3-5-9. It’s passing under the Main Street Bridge right now.
RUBY (FILTERED)
Got it.
NORA
That puts them at the lock... (checks the time) in about an hour.
RUBY (FILTERED)
That’s plenty of time.
Nora lowers the monocular, placing it into a small handbag.
She references something in a pocketbook, then replaces it.
Her long, bronze legs glisten in the hot July sun, her face dappled with beads of sweat.
A FOREST GREEN 70s MG CONVERTIBLE sits in the parking lot with the top down.
Nora opens the driver-side door and slides in.
SLAM!
The key turns, and she moves the gearshift to “D”.
THE TAGS: BLCKPI
A pedestrian leaps out of the way as the MG fishtails from the lot.
SUPER: BLACK P.I.
The MG darts along the street, nimble, every vibration and rattle palpable.
She crosses the Main Street Bridge into Downtown Rock City, weaving lane-to-lane around the other vehicles.
RUBY (FILTERED)
Why’s it so far out?
NORA
There’s probably about a dozen overlapping jurisdictions at the dam.
RUBY (FILTERED)
Okay.
Nora blows through a red light. Horns blare after her.
RUBY (FILTERED)
Wait, is this legal?
NORA
Don’t worry. It’s a clown car of egos and more than any department really wants to spend. And the paperwork.
RUBY (FILTERED)
So totally illegal.
The MG speeds down a narrow street lined with parked cars.
NORA
Umm... no. Let me know what you find.
Nora hangs up.
CUT TO:
EXT. RUBY’S HOUSE — DAY
A CUSTOM BMW MOTORCYCLE
Parked at the curb.
RUBY RED walks down the sidewalk with a backpack.
She swings a leg over the seat, turns the key, kicks the stand, and speeds off.
CUT TO:
INT. RUTH’S HOUSE - DAY
A WELL-MAINTAINED OLD CRAFTSMAN FARM HOUSE IN THE COUNTRYSIDE
PICTURES OF DANIEL AT DIFFERENT AGES
DOILIES
PLASTIC FLOWERS
A SOFA WITH A GAUDY PRINT
RUTH COLSON sits in her La-Z-boy, back straight.
One arm extends straight out, holding a mirror. The other brushes silver hair that runs the length of her torso, giving way at the waist to an ankle-length denim skirt.
On the side table between her and the mirror, a scented candle burns beside a framed image of Daniel.
A KNOCK AT THE DOOR
Jeb barks.
RUTH
Jeb, hush (Snaps her fingers). Jeb! Hush up now. Be quiet.
Ruth crosses the living room to the hall and opens the front door.
TOM, THE SHERIFF — TALL, FAT, HAT IN HAND
RUTH
Well, hello Tom. What’re you doing out here?
TOM
Hiya, Ruthie.
RUTH
Come on in. Would you like a piece of pie?
She watches his expression, sees the placement of his hat.
TOM
I’m here about Daniel.
He hesitates.
RUTH
What’s he done now?
TOM
Well—and I’m real sorry, Ruth. He was killed this morning out in the forest.
CUT TO:
EXT. HIGHWAY 161 - DAY
Ruby speeds down a two-lane highway.
On one side, the Delta. On the other, fat-bottomed trees in the water at the edge of a lake.
She shifts gears and passes a semi.
CUT TO:
INT. NORA’S OFFICE - DAY
NORA TWISTS THE WAND
On the window blinds, narrowing the light.
A LADDER OF SHADOWS
Climbs over the room. Incense smoke wafts through the lattice of the blinds’ silhouette.
THE LIGHT NARROWS AROUND HER EYES
As she surveys the city.
THE HORIZON
Is an array of oranges, purples, and crimson behind the forested Ouachita foothills — Rock City.
SHE TURNS TO A LARGE DESK
The city disappears into the horizon through the window behind her.
Across from her sits a Latino family of four.
THE MOTHER
Only speaks Spanish. She’s middle-aged, no husband.
A boy, about 7, lies on the floor with crayons and a coloring book.
His sister, around 5, shyly hides behind the mother, peeking around at Nora with one eye.
BRANDI
About 18, the elder daughter, translates.
A LOCKET
Sits on the desk in front of Nora. Inside is a picture of GWEN.
NORA
Black, P.I.’s transitioning to community ownership. So the assemblies have some say in which cases I take.
BRANDI
My cousin said you, specifically, find people like Gwen.
NORA
Specifically, yes. We have to be selective, so let’s see what kind of case you’ve got, exactly.
Brandi translates, and the mother slides a manila folder across the desk.
Photos and papers spill out: Directorate of Immigration Enforcement (DIE) forms, a picture of Gwen smiling at a picnic, her birth certificate, a folded police report with the Midheaven Sheriff’s crest partially rubbed away.
NORA
This is Gwen?
MOTHER
Sí.
BRANDI
My sister. She disappeared last Fourth of July.
Nora looks at the photo. Gwen wears the same necklace as the one on the desk.
Nora picks it up.
NORA
And this was hers?
BRANDI
That’s my mom’s (speaks Spanish to the mother).
MOTHER
Ella tiene la otra mitad.
BRANDI
It’s a mother-daughter matching locket. Gwen has the other one.
Something in the paperwork catches Nora’s attention.
MIDHEAVEN
RICHMON FOODS
She rifles through another stack of papers on her desk, related to another case.
She disappears for a moment, glancing back and forth between the folders.
NORA
Did you say Midheaven?
BRANDI
Yeah, she worked nights at Richmon Foods. But they had a lot of DIE raids.
Nora finds the paper she’s looking for, and leans back in her chair, examining it carefully.
NORA
Was she detained?
BRANDI
We called all the centers, but we didn’t find her.
Nora sighs, stands, and turns, looking out her office window across the city, thinking.
NORA
A lot of paper trails stop in detention.
She turns back toward the family.
NORA
What about the police?
BRANDI
They just said maybe she doesn’t want to be found.
Nora scoffs and shakes her head.
CUT TO:
INT. RUTH’S HOUSE — DAY
Ruth sits back in her recliner.
Black mascara streaks line her cheeks.
Tom comes out of the kitchen with a glass of water.
TOM
Forensics were still out when I left, but it ain’t rocket science.
He drags a chair from the kitchen table.
TOM
Big metal spike in the tree he was cutting on.
RUTH
What for?
TOM
“Forest defenders,” they hammer them in to bust up the chains.
Ruth looks disgusted.
RUTH
That’s terrorism.
TOM
Might as well be.
RUTH
Where is he?
TOM
They took him to the medical examiner’s in Rock City.
She looks at Tom a long time without blinking. He clears his throat.
TOM
State came in real quick like. Seems they found something else.
RUTH
Something else what?
He tilts his head forward slightly, raising his eyebrows, and widening his eyes with some shared understanding.
Ruth averts his gaze, thinking.
RUTH
Well, if it ain’t one thing.
He looks at her sympathetically.
TOM
It’s a memory.
Tom nods softly.
CUT TO:
EXT. DAVID TERRY LOCK & DAM — DAY
Ruby steers her motorcycle down a dirt road and stops.
THE DAM looms large in the distance ahead.
THE BARGE transits the lock, moving lower, out of sight, metal groaning as the water rushes out.
Ruby twists the accelerator a few times, then continues down the road slowly.
A SKI-BOAT
Idles below the dam.
CUT TO:
INT. NORA’S OFFICE - DAY.
BRANDI
She went to a fireworks show, but she felt bad and left.
NORA pushes a pen and sheet of paper across the desk.
NORA
Can you write the friend’s number for me? About what time was that?
BRANDI
After dark.
The mother picks up her phone and scrolls her contacts.
NORA
What did her work say?
BRANDI
No call, no show. My mom still tries to talk to the manager. They just keep saying they’ll call back. But they never do.
NORA
Any coworkers?
Brandi speaks in Spanish.
The mother searches in her phone again, scrawling hurriedly across the paper.
BRANDI
She’ll find everyone she can.
THE LITTLE GIRL
Moves from behind her mother and stands looking at a large stone reproduction of the Ceremony of the Weighing of the Heart of the Dead, set on a shelf on Nora’s wall.
NORA NOTICES but keeps her focus on the interview.
THE GIRL’S BROWN EYES
THE STONE TABLET
ANUBIS, THE HEART, THE MONSTER AMMUT
CUT TO:
INT. RUTH’S HOUSE — DAY
TOM
I don’t think Wayne’s supposed to be out around there anyway.
Ruth shrugs.
TOM
Ain’t nothing but trees and, well--
RUTH
Wayne belongs wherever they happen to be. But even I didn’t think they’d stretch out that far.
TOM
Me neither. Could be Danny was lost.
RUTH
I really doubt he’d forget that place.
TOM
Probably not.
Ruth leans back in her recliner and lets out a sigh.
RUTH
If he was kiping timber, what kind of mother are people going to think I am?
TOM
It’s them leftist hippy types, Ruthie. Ain’t nobody got no right to think anything.
RUTH
I already got one son...
She trails off.
RUTH
What are you going to do about this, Tom?
CUT TO:
EXT. DAVID TERRY LOCK & DAM - DAY
CICADAS
Ruby’s motorcycle growls through the gravel parking lot.
She steps off the bike, pulls a camera from her backpack, and jogs along the retaining wall.
She peers around the corner, downriver.
The barge moves steadily out of the lock toward the ski-boat idling ahead.
She aims the camera, takes a few snaps, adjusting the telescope, then looks at the display.
Dissatisfied, she scans the tree-line running parallel to the river.
Stepping away from the wall, she casually walks into the thick brush, keeping her eyes on the barge as she disappears into the trees.
CUT TO:
INT. NORA’S OFFICE - DAY
Gwen’s mother gathers the last of the photos back into the manila folder.
Brandi finishes writing their contacts on a sheet of paper and slides it across the desk to Nora.
BRANDI
That’s everyone we can think of.
NORA
She’s been missing awhile. That means my chances of finding her aren’t the best.
Brandi translates. The mother clutches the locket in her fist, eyes wet. She thanks Nora in Spanish.
MOTHER
Ella va a volver.
BRANDI
She says Gwen will come back.
Nora watches the mother’s eyes as she speaks.
The little girl turns away from the Egyptian tablet to Nora, pointing up at the scene.
LITTLE GIRL
What’s that?
NORA
That’s the Ceremony of the Weighing of the Heart of the Dead. It’s Egyptian.
The family moves toward the door, the mother gratuitously thanking Nora in Spanish.
NORA
You know where to find me.
The door closes.
CUT TO:
INT. RUTH’S HOUSE - DAY
At the kitchen counter, Ruth cuts a slice of cherry pie.
There is cherry sauce on the fingers of one of her hands.
She presses them into a perfectly white cloth napkin on the counter. She places the knife in the napkin too, folding it around the blade.
Tom steps out onto the porch, holding the pie on a small styrofoam plate in a ziplock bag.
He puts his hat back on his head and walks to his cruiser.
ON THE DOOR: MIDHEAVEN COUNTY SHERIFF
Ruth watches from the porch, eyes following him until the cruiser leaves the driveway.
CUT TO:
EXT. DAVID TERRY LOCK & DAM - DAY
Branches slap at Ruby as she makes her way through the thick brush.
She pulls a balaclava from her neck over her nose as she reaches an opening.
The camera shutter clicks.
She adjusts her footing without taking her eyes from the camera.
The ledge gives way, and she reaches for a nearby bush, grabbing its branches, but it tears out by the roots.
Her other hand grasps for a vine covered in thorns, scratching her fingers and palm.
Awkwardly, she rolls down the embankment and into the water at the river’s edge.
The men on the boats turn as she holds the camera out of the waist-deep water, trying to move along the embankment.
One of the men on the ski boat sees the camera and kneels to retrieve a bolt-action hunting rifle and a box of ammunition from a storage area.
He rushes to load the gun, spilling the ammo.
Ruby nears the parking lot.
WIZZ!
A soft thud as a cloud dust comes out of the embankment inches above her head.
He chambers another round.
She trips trying to come out of the water too quickly.
CRACK!
Bark on a tree behind her explodes.
She drops the camera, pulls a 9mm from her hip, and unloads in the direction of the boats.
The man dives, losing his grip on the rifle, fumbling desperately for the throttle.
The motor screams as the bow lifts, and he rolls backward on the floor, trying to stand and regain control of the boat.
Ruby gets back on her feet, retrieves the camera, and sprints to her motorcycle.
Alarms whine from the dam control tower.
The ski boat turns sharply, headed back toward the dam.
Ruby starts the bike and kicks up a cloud of dust as she whips the motorcycle around to face the entrance.
The man lifts the rifle, following the bike, but he lowers it instead of firing.
