Reveal

Reveal
by
Eli


INT. DON'S MUSTANG - DAY

Don sits in his car.

An SUV behind him pulls in front of his car. Another car
pulls up to the rear.

          DON
     Fuck!

He reaches for the 1911 Defender in his waistband. A police
cruiser pulls into the side. The office inside of it, OFFICER
TURNER, (mid-20s) steps out, gun in hand.

          DON
     What the shit...

DETECTIVE MORETTI, (32) steps out, badge and gun in hand.

          MORETTI
     Get out.


EXT. CITY STREET - DAY

Don steps out of his car.

          MORETTI
     Drop the gun, get on the ground,
     now!

Don drops his 1911 and kicks it to the side.

He gets on the ground. Moretti cuffs Don and leans into his
ear.

          MORETTI
       (whispering)
     We gotta make this look good.

          DON
     What?

Moretti grabs Don's gun, then puts him in the back of the
SUV.

          MCDOWELL (O.S.)
     Get his car impounded.

Inside, CAPTAIN MCDOWELL, (early-50s) sits there. Moretti
gets in.

A confused Don is thrown into


INT. SUV - DAY

          DON
     You can't just fucking do this! I
     want my fucking lawyer!

The SUV guns it down the road.

          MORETTI
     Shut up, Paulsen!

The SUV pulls into an alley.

Moretti gets out.

McDowell gets out and opens the door to the SUV.

          MCDOWELL
     Get out.

Don, wide eyed and fearful looks at this.

          DON
     Is this it?

          MCDOWELL
     We're not here to kill you.

          DON
     Then why did you kidnap me?

          MCDOWELL
     Get out.

With a reluctant look in his eyes, Don steps out of the SUV.


EXT. ALLEY - DAY

He steps out, still cuffed.

          MCDOWELL
     We need to talk about your wife.

          DON
     She's got a nice ass, right? It's
     mine, not yours.

          MORETTI
     Can you stop being a smartass for
     just a-

          MCDOWELL
     Moretti.

Moretti stops and lets out an annoyed sigh.

          MORETTI
     We have a bunch more guys we can
     use, why are we using this guy?
     He's never been a cop before!

          MCDOWELL
     Uncuff him.

Don looks at both of them with a confused look.

Moretti uncuffs Don.

          MCDOWELL
     His gun too.

Moretti gives a look of concern. McDowell nods.

Moretti gives Don his gun back. Don draws on McDowell.

          DON
     Give me a reason not to put both of
     you in the ground right now.

Moretti takes out his and points it to Don's head.

          MCDOWELL
     PUT THE GUN DOWN MORETTI!

          MORETTI
     I WILL FUCKING END HIM!

          MCDOWELL
     PUT IT DOWN.

Moretti lowers his gun, then looks at Don.

          MCDOWELL
     You're not a cop killer and your
     wife is on the take.

          DON
     Bullshit. On both accounts.

McDowell reaches into the SUV and takes out a manila folder.

          MCDOWELL
     The Irish mob and Italians have
     moved their operations out here in
     Hartford.

          MCDOWELL
     We're asking you to help us out in
     this.

Don, a look of confusion on his face looks at the folder.
With one, he grabs it.

          DON
     Why not pull any of your guys on
     this?

          MCDOWELL
     Plausible deniability. Your wife
     missed a payment and we have reason
     to believe that they intend on
     attacking your wife and daughter.
     It's also because most of are
     detectives are leaving. Times are
     hard, Donny.

          DON
     Don't fucking call me that.

Don reholsters his handgun.

          MCDOWELL
     Very well then. We want you to get
     in with the Irish. Contact us every
     two to three days as need be.

          DON
     What about my family?

McDowell takes out a shred of paper and passes it to Don. Don
takes it and his eyes widen.

          MCDOWELL
     Tax free.

          DON
     I have to think about this.

Don looks over at Moretti.

Moretti puts his hand up.

McDowell passes Don his business card.

          MCDOWELL
     Make a decision and burn this thing
     after. It's your call, Paulsen.

          DON
     Why me?

          MCDOWELL
     Most of your records were expunged.
     We couldn't find a thing about you
     outside your MSR Hous-

Don winces.

          DON
     Alright, I get it. Shut up. Fine.
     I'll think about it.

          MCDOWELL
     Get in.

Don gets into the SUV.


INT. SUV - DAY

Don looks out the window.

McDowell continues to drive.

          MCDOWELL (O.S.)
     You got a lot of experience,
     Paulsen. Be a shame for you to use
     that being a beat cop.


EXT. IMPOUND LOT - DAY

Don opens the door to his Mustang. He looks down at the card
and sighs, a look of skepticism on his face.

He sets it next to him, then gets into his own car.

                       CUT TO:


EXT. NEIGHBORHOOD - DAY

Don's car turns a corner. He pulls up to.


EXT. JACKIE'S HOUSE - DAY

A Cadillac sits outside of Jackie's house. Don backs into the
driveway and parks his car facing toward the street.


INT. DON'S MUSTANG - DAY

Don eyes the Cadillac and watches it. Two men step out.

Don rolls his window down.

CRAIG, (mid-20s) walks up to Don's car. DARBY, (mid-20s)
comes up on the passenger side.

          CRAIG
     You live here?

          DON
     Yeah. Can I help you?

          CRAIG
     We're with a collection agency of
     sorts.

Craig takes out a yellow envelope and passes it onto Don.

          CRAIG
     You think you could pass this onto
     your wife?

Don takes the envelope.

          DON
     Yeah, uh- No problem.

Craig nods. The two walk away and get into their car.

With a confused expression, Don watches as the two of them
drive off.

He looks at the envelope.

Don steps out of his car and goes inside.


INT. JACKIE'S HOUSE - DAY

Don steps inside and opens the envelope.

He reaches inside and takes out a stack of money.

          DON
     Holy fucking shit.

A note inside the envelope reads, "You know the drill."

Don takes the money and the note and goes into


LIVING ROOM

Don sets the money on the coffee table.

                  DISSOLVE TO:

Day passes to night. A look of uncertainty washes over Don's
face

He hears Jackie's car pull up to the driveway.

Don sits there and waits.

The door opens.

Jackie has a relaxed, washed over look on her face.

          JACKIE
     Hi, sweetie!

Don looks at her, a look of shock in his eyes.

          DON
     You said this house was possible
     through my home loan and you
     getting promoted while working.

Jackie looks confused. She walks into the kitchen and sees
the yellow envelope.

          JACKIE
     What are you talking about?

          DON
     Your car.

          JACKIE
     Yeah, you helped with that. You
     okay?

She sees the money on the table and lets out a sigh.

          JACKIE
     It's a bonus from work, Donny.
     Relax.

          DON
     Most bonuses come in paychecks,
     Jack.

          JACKIE
     They laid off the payroll-

          DON
     Come on, don't give me that. Two
     guys in a cadillac give you a
     yellow envelope at your home? You
     fucking serious? How long has this
     been?

          JACKIE
     Donny, times are hard.

          DON
     So you're a cop taking bribes.
     You're making them harder.

          JACKIE
     So is everyone else!

          DON
     So what if everyone else drinking
     bleach? What? It's completely cool
     for you to do that too, Jack?

          JACKIE
     Just play along, Donny! It's just
     money. Keep your mouth shut, take
     the payments, and play along.

          DON
     What if they turn on you? Turn you
     into IA or have you start whacking
     people. Ash isn't going to have a
     mom and because I put my fucking
     hands on that money, I'm going in
     as an accessory. I did not extend
     my fucking enlistment just for you
     to take bribes!

          JACKIE
     Then how the hell did I pay for
     this house?

          DON
     You? Paying for this fucking house?
     ! That was my VA loan!

Jackie comes closer to Don.

          JACKIE
     They've been cutting my pay at
     work.

She gets in Don's face.

          DON
     Tough. Fucking. Shit. Now they have
     leverage against you.

The front door opens.

Ash walks in.

The two stop to look at her.

          JACKIE
     Hi sweetie. How was school?

Ash feels the tension in the room.

          ASH
     I'll... Just be going upstairs.

Ash goes to her room.

Don comes closer to Jackie.

          DON
     Who is it? The money. Who gives it
     to you?

          JACKIE
     It's just some Irish guys that
     approached me when they did the
     first paycut.

          DON
     When was that?

          JACKIE
     When you were on deployment and it
     was me and Ash.

          DON
     Jesus christ.

          JACKIE
     Just go along with it, Don. If
     you're lucky, you'll even get some
     for yourself.

          DON
     You're fucking crazy. Sort your
     shit out, Jack. I'm going on a
     drive.

          JACKIE
     Think about it. Please, for our
     family.

          DON
     Jesus, Jackie. And here I thought
     you had values.

Don steps out of the house.

He gets into


INT. DON'S MUSTANG - NIGHT

Don pulls out of his driveway.

                       CUT TO:


INT. JACKIE'S HOUSE - NIGHT

Jackie looks at the money.

          JACKIE
     Fuck. He knows.


INT. DON'S MUSTANG - NIGHT

Don takes the card out of his back pocket and takes out his
phone.

          DON
     Hey- McDowell. I'm in.

                     FADE OUT.