sixteen. Can't talk to her without a parent or guardian...
But Longworth is already on the move...
INT. FLORIDA HIGHWAY PATROL - CONFERENCE ROOM - DAY
Longworth enters, sits across from Erin as he eats his burrito. Introducing himself --
LONGWORTH
Jim Longworth.
She looks at him.
ERIN
You a cop?
LONGWORTH
(nods)
Lieutenant. You get anything to eat?
(silence)
You want something? Burrito or something? Something to drink?
She shakes her head no. Longworth looks at her a beat.
LONGWORTH
Would you be more comfortable if we waited till we located one of your parents?
ERIN
My parents? Good luck with that.
LONGWORTH
You're okay talking to me, then?
She shrugs sure, whatever. Longworth sits across from her.
LONGWORTH
We sent your whatever he is - boyfriend or whatever, home. He puked on my partner's keyboard.
ERIN
He drinks too much.
LONGWORTH
He's also older than you. Did you guys have relations?
ERIN
What do you mean? Did I screw him?
LONGWORTH
Yeah, did you screw him.
ERIN
Is that important?
LONGWORTH
Maybe.
She looks at him a beat. Not sure where he's going.
ERIN
I'm old enough to give consent.
LONGWORTH
You're sixteen. That's not old enough. Legally.
ERIN
Are you going to arrest him?
LONGWORTH
Did he have sex with you?
ERIN
No.
(off his look)
And what's this got to do with the
woman without the head?
LONGWORTH
I don't know yet.
Erin looks at him. Digesting that.
LONGWORTH
He says you guys got out there a little after ten o'clock and slept out there all night? Did you see or hear anything?
ERIN
You mean, related to the woman?
LONGWORTH
Yeah. Did you see or hear anything that might help us identify who she was. Like the person or persons who dumped her there.
ERIN
Maybe she died there.
LONGWORTH
Maybe. But we don't think so.
ERIN
What do you think happened?
LONGWORTH
I think she was killed somewhere else and dumped there so an alligator could destroy the evidence.
Erin takes a beat with that. Shakes her head no.
ERIN
I didn't hear anything.
LONGWORTH
What about this spot? Anything about it special for you two?
ERIN
No.
LONGWORTH
No special meaning?
ERIN
No. Just a place to go.
LONGWORTH
A place other people go to maybe? Young people. To party, get drunk. Try sex?
She doesn't respond, but yeah, basically.
LONGWORTH
So it's kind of a dumb place to dump a body. If someone knew that.
ERIN
Maybe it's a good place, if you're tryin' to mess with the cops.
LONGWORTH
Is that something you think about? Messing with us for trying to keep things safe and orderly?
ERIN
I'm just saying.
LONGWORTH
So was this your first time trying sex?
ERIN
Trying?
LONGWORTH
Hey, I'm still trying. Don't ever wanna get too good at a thing, it takes out all the magic.
ERIN
How do you know she didn't float there from upriver?
LONGWORTH
Doesn't figure that way, forensically.
ERIN
Are you an expert in forensics?
LONGWORTH
I'm an expert in all things homicidal, Erin. There isn't much about murder I don't know. Or can't find out. If I just keep asking the right questions.
They stare at each other.
CUT TO:
EXT. PALM GLADE STATE PRESERVE - FISHEATING CREEK - AFTERNOON
Crime scene tape marks off a hundred or so square feet which have been cordoned off to the public. A State Police Department vehicle sits inside the area, parked along side the marsh.
We FIND Longworth, sitting on the bank, shoes and socks off, rolling up his pant legs. A 9-iron at his side, which he picks up then wades into the water.
The water is to his mid-thigh. He tries to peer down into the dark, brackish water as he sifts through the silt with the 9-iron, raking it across the river floor. He snags on something, dips to fish around the bottom with his hand, holding his head just above the water line, when he suddenly lurches out of the water, staggering back and out of the way of
AN ANGRY FIVE FOOT ALLIGATOR
whipping in a near full-breech having taken a good nip out of Longworth's hand. Longworth
But Longworth is already on the move...
INT. FLORIDA HIGHWAY PATROL - CONFERENCE ROOM - DAY
Longworth enters, sits across from Erin as he eats his burrito. Introducing himself --
LONGWORTH
Jim Longworth.
She looks at him.
ERIN
You a cop?
LONGWORTH
(nods)
Lieutenant. You get anything to eat?
(silence)
You want something? Burrito or something? Something to drink?
She shakes her head no. Longworth looks at her a beat.
LONGWORTH
Would you be more comfortable if we waited till we located one of your parents?
ERIN
My parents? Good luck with that.
LONGWORTH
You're okay talking to me, then?
She shrugs sure, whatever. Longworth sits across from her.
LONGWORTH
We sent your whatever he is - boyfriend or whatever, home. He puked on my partner's keyboard.
ERIN
He drinks too much.
LONGWORTH
He's also older than you. Did you guys have relations?
ERIN
What do you mean? Did I screw him?
LONGWORTH
Yeah, did you screw him.
ERIN
Is that important?
LONGWORTH
Maybe.
She looks at him a beat. Not sure where he's going.
ERIN
I'm old enough to give consent.
LONGWORTH
You're sixteen. That's not old enough. Legally.
ERIN
Are you going to arrest him?
LONGWORTH
Did he have sex with you?
ERIN
No.
(off his look)
And what's this got to do with the
woman without the head?
LONGWORTH
I don't know yet.
Erin looks at him. Digesting that.
LONGWORTH
He says you guys got out there a little after ten o'clock and slept out there all night? Did you see or hear anything?
ERIN
You mean, related to the woman?
LONGWORTH
Yeah. Did you see or hear anything that might help us identify who she was. Like the person or persons who dumped her there.
ERIN
Maybe she died there.
LONGWORTH
Maybe. But we don't think so.
ERIN
What do you think happened?
LONGWORTH
I think she was killed somewhere else and dumped there so an alligator could destroy the evidence.
Erin takes a beat with that. Shakes her head no.
ERIN
I didn't hear anything.
LONGWORTH
What about this spot? Anything about it special for you two?
ERIN
No.
LONGWORTH
No special meaning?
ERIN
No. Just a place to go.
LONGWORTH
A place other people go to maybe? Young people. To party, get drunk. Try sex?
She doesn't respond, but yeah, basically.
LONGWORTH
So it's kind of a dumb place to dump a body. If someone knew that.
ERIN
Maybe it's a good place, if you're tryin' to mess with the cops.
LONGWORTH
Is that something you think about? Messing with us for trying to keep things safe and orderly?
ERIN
I'm just saying.
LONGWORTH
So was this your first time trying sex?
ERIN
Trying?
LONGWORTH
Hey, I'm still trying. Don't ever wanna get too good at a thing, it takes out all the magic.
ERIN
How do you know she didn't float there from upriver?
LONGWORTH
Doesn't figure that way, forensically.
ERIN
Are you an expert in forensics?
LONGWORTH
I'm an expert in all things homicidal, Erin. There isn't much about murder I don't know. Or can't find out. If I just keep asking the right questions.
They stare at each other.
CUT TO:
EXT. PALM GLADE STATE PRESERVE - FISHEATING CREEK - AFTERNOON
Crime scene tape marks off a hundred or so square feet which have been cordoned off to the public. A State Police Department vehicle sits inside the area, parked along side the marsh.
We FIND Longworth, sitting on the bank, shoes and socks off, rolling up his pant legs. A 9-iron at his side, which he picks up then wades into the water.
The water is to his mid-thigh. He tries to peer down into the dark, brackish water as he sifts through the silt with the 9-iron, raking it across the river floor. He snags on something, dips to fish around the bottom with his hand, holding his head just above the water line, when he suddenly lurches out of the water, staggering back and out of the way of
AN ANGRY FIVE FOOT ALLIGATOR
whipping in a near full-breech having taken a good nip out of Longworth's hand. Longworth
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