FF - "No News is Bad News"

[TVFan]

I was bored, so I figured I would try my hand at some writing. Here's what I came up with. I've titled it "No News is Bad News."

No News is Bad News

SCENE 1
December 1996. The song "Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth with Money in My Hand" by Primitive Radio Gods plays in the background. It's a cold, dark alley. Two men converge from different directions.

Man 1 - (his face clearly visible, he's nervous, but excited) Thank you for meeting me on such short notice.

Man 2 - (his face hidden in the darkness) It's all here. (hands Man 1 a thick file)

Man 1 - (takes file and thumbs through it quickly) This looks like enough. Make sure you watch the news this week!

The men shake hands and part in opposite directions. We see Man 2 walking away, and we hear three gun shots. Then, we see Man 1 lying on the pavement bleeding and dead. The file is missing. The case box gets filed under "Dec. 1996 Joy, Steve."

SCENE 2
Philly PD, present day. Close up on Lilly's desk. There's a similar file from 1996. Off camera we hear Rush and Valens bantering friendly.

Rush -(sarcastically) Hey, you're the ladies man around here.

Cut to shot of Rush and Vallens approaching their desks for the first time today.

Valens - Hey, you've got mail (nods his head toward the file).

Rush - (still standing, she thumbs through the file) Looks like an old murder from 1996. Television reporter shot three times and killed in an alley. (shot of crime photos)

Valens - Guess someone didn't like what he had to say. (then) Someone close to him must have dropped the file off.

Rush - (close up) Except this is a police file.

Cut to opening song and commercial

SCENE 3
Rush, Stillman, and Valens are down in the case vault going through the complete box.

Rush - He was murdered late at night. (puzzled) What was he doing in an alley at three a.m.?

Valens - Probably working a story. Says here he was a reporter for Channel 4.

Stillman - Pay a visit to channel 4. Find out what this story was all about.

SCENE 4
Interior of a busy TV newsroom. Phones ringing, people bustling, lots of action. Cut to the inside of the news director Wayne Stand's office. Rush and Valens sit down across the desk from him.

Stand - So, you're with homicide? (concerned) Did one of my crews compromise a crime scene again? Because I talked to them about the last time they

Rush - (interrupting) No Mr. Stand. It's nothing like that. We're here about the murder of one of your reporters.

Valens - Yeah, a Steve Joy. He worked for you back in 1996.

Stand - (shaken) Yeah that, that was horrible. Steve was my best reporter. He was an investigator. You know, dug up dirt on everyone.

Rush - (intrigued) Whose dirt was he digging in back in 1996?

Stand - (nervous) Oh, I don't know, the usual suspects I'm sure. City Hall, the DA's office.

Rush and Valens look at each other, thinking the same thing.

Valens - Is there any way you could find out for us?

SCENE 5
The basement of the TV station. There are stacks and stacks of tapes and files. Rush and Valens just keep looking around amazed.

Stand - This should be it right here. (he pulls a box down that reads "Joy Stories - 1996." He hands the box to Rush). You're welcome to look through that, but I've got to get back to work. I'll be in my office if you have any questions. (he exits)

Rush - Thanks. (She opens the box filled with paper) Talk about your needle in a hay stack....hopefully it's dated.

They begin going through the box. Valens looks happy.

Valens - (excited) Bingo!

Rush - (gives him a look) Bingo?

Valens - Yeah, bingo. I found something.

SCENE 6
Back upstairs in the news director's office.

Rush - What can you tell us about this investigation into the police department that Steve was working?

Stand - (concerned) Not a lot I'm afraid. It never aired. (Rush and Valens look at him b/c they know he's lying) Look, all I know is it was going to blow the lid off the department.

Flash back to 1996. Stand and Joy are talking in the same office. The song "Don't Speak" by No Doubt plays in the background.

Stand - (concerned) Steve, this is getting too risky. You've got to call off the story.

Joy - (crusader like) Sir, the story is too important to call off. The public has a right to know.

Stand - (angry) At what cost? Your life? The station's relationship with the department? People's jobs?

Joy - If that's what it takes. Sir, I'm a reporter. My job is to find the truth. I'm not stopping til I do. (exits angry)

Flash back to present day.

Stand - (ashamed) That's the last time we spoke.

Valens - (annoyed) So why didn't you tell us this all along?

Stand - The subject matter.

Rush - What was the subject matter?

Stand - (reluctantly) Drug use within the homicide division of the city's police department.

Close up on Lilly who looks like this could spell trouble for their investigation. Fade to black.

[TVFan]

SCENE 7
Back at the Police Station. Stillman, Vera, and Jeffries are going through the file. Rush and Valens enter.

Stillman - What did you guys find?

Rush - It's never a dull moment Boss.

Valens - Yeah, that reporter Steve Joy. He was about to blow the whistle on the police department.

Stillman - (surprised) Really?? With what?

Rush - Drug use in homicide. (then) Remember anything?

Stillman - If it was going on, I didn't know anything about it.

Rush - You familar with the investigation?

Stillman - There wasn't one. At least not that I knew about. But he must have gotten it from somewhere.

Jeffries - Vera and I will go talk to Internal Affairs. See what they got. (they exit)

Stillman - (to Rush) Is there a next of kin?

Rush - Sharon Joy - his mother. (looks at file) She has a local address. We'll go talk to her.

Stillman - Keep me updated.

SCENE 8
Rush and Valens are sitting in the living room of Mrs. Joy's house.

Rush - Mrs. Joy, I know this is difficult. Is there anything you could tell us about the story your son was working on when he died?

Mrs. Joy - I'm just thankful that you're looking into his murder again. The police department swept it under the rug the first time. I guess that's what happens when you're about to expose them.

Valens - So, you knew about the story?

Mrs. Joy - Oh yeah. I knew. It was hard not to. The late night phone calls...

Flash back to 1996. The song "Name" by Goo Goo Dolls plays in the background. The phone rings. A clock shows 2:15am. The phone is answered. Mrs. Joy goes to Steve's room.

Steve - (on the phone) That would be wonderful. I owe you big time. I'll see you then. (hangs up phone)

Mrs. Joy - (concerned) Who was that?

Steve - (changing his shirt and getting ready to leave) Remember my source? Well, he's finally agreed to meet me and give me all the information I need.

Mrs. Joy - That's great Steve. You're going to finally get to tell your story! When are you meeting him?

Steve - In about a half an hour, so I gotta go.

Mrs. Joy - (concerned) But it's so late. What if something happens to you?

Steve - Mom, I'm meeting a cop. Everything will be fine.

Flash back to present day.

Mrs. Joy - (reflecting) And then he left shorty after that.

Rush - Did Steve tell you who his source was?

Mrs. Joy - No, he didn't. But I believe whoever he was, he killed my son to keep the story quiet. Steve got too close to the truth. (pauses) You know, there was one detail I forgot to mention to the detectives back in 1996. Steve called his boss, Mr. Stand, that night before he left. It got pretty heated. Steve kept saying something about the relationship between the station and the police.

Valens - You wouldn't happen to have Steve's notes from the story, would you?

Mrs. Joy - No, the station has all of that. I asked for them, you know to have a piece of Steve's last work, but Mr. Stand was adament about the notes being station property.

Rush and Valens look at each other concerned.

SCENE 9
After leaving the Joy residence, Rush and Valens walk down the street toward their car.

Valens - Hey Lil, you think if IAB wasn't Joy's source that boss could have been?

Rush - (not convinced) It occured to me. His reaction, but I don't know. Seems like he would have said something.

Valens - Well, I was thinking...the source was probably who put the file on your desk. He would have easy access.

Rush - Yeah, but so would any cop.

Valens - Yeah, maybe.

SCENE 10
Exterior of the police station. Interior of Stillman's office. Rush and Valens walk in.

Rush - Looks like our suspicions were right. Joy was meeting a source in the alley that night. He was handing over some sort of information for his story.

Stillman - Any idea who this source was? (Rush and Valens look at each other, and then at Stillman) What, you think it was me?

Valens - Well sir, the thought crossed our minds.

Rush - Briefly.

Stillman - Well it wasn't me. I would have told you. Jeffries and Vera are checking with IAB. Any other ideas?

Valens - Joy took notes.

Stillman - (intrigued) Where are they?

Rush - That's the thing...the station has them and they're not exactly handing them over. We get those notes, we might get the doer.

Stillman - That's going to take a court order. (looks at Lilly) Got any favors you need to cash in at the DA's office?

Valens - (smiling) Not I, sir. (looks at Lilly)

Rush - (looking annoyed) I haven't spoken with Kite in a while.

Stillman - It's going to take a lot because the court usually sides with the station on these things. You're the best chance we got.

Stillman and Valens look at Rush.

Rush - (defeated) Alright, I'll see what I can do, but no promises.

SCENE 11
Jeffries and Vera are sitting at a desk across from and officer with Internal Affairs.

Jeffries - So you guys never investigated drug use in homicide?

Det. Rawlings - I'm afraid not. It's certainly something that we would have a huge file on, and as you can see, we don't.

Vera - So if this reporter was doing a story, how would he get his information?

Rawlings - Most likely from someone involved.

Jeffries - Like a homicide detective? (Rawlings nods) That really narrows it down.

SCENE 12
Interior of ADA Kite's office. Rush knocks on the open door, and walks in hesitantly.

Kite - What's the warrent for this time?

Rush - It's not exactly a warrent. (reluctantly) It's more of a court order.

Kite - For what?

Rush - Reporter's notes from 1996.

Kite - Oh no. I'm not taking that to a judge.

Rush - (pushing) Kite, the reporter's dead and the notes aren't part of a current story.

Kite - Who has them now?

Rush - The station he worked for.

Kite - Lilly, it's not going to happen. Judges protect journalist's notes.

Rush - (annoyed) Can you at least try?

Kite - It's a waste of my time. I have a huge case load right now and I don't have time to chase down dead end court order requests. I'm sorry. I'm busy. (then) You should understand busy.

Rush - (mad) Is that what this is about? What happened between you and me? (realizing she said too much, she calms down) Look Kite, this reporter was working on a story involving the police department. He had a source. If you get me the notes, I might get the source, and possibly the doer.

Kite - Like I said, I'm sorry. I'm due in court. (he walks out and Lilly is left standing annoyed and hurt).

Fade to black.

[TVFan]

SCENE 13
Back at the TV station. Lilly and Scotty are standing in the news director's office. Stand is sitting at his desk.

Rush - (angry) You lied to us Wayne. We know Steve called you that night. You talked about his story ruining your relationship with the department. Remember?

Stand - I didn't think it was important.

Valens - It means you knew where Steve was meeting his source.

Rush - Yeah, and you got motive Wayne.

Stand - I didn't kill him.

Rush - Doesn't sound that way to me.

Stand - (concerned) I swear it wasn't me.

Valens - Then who was it?

Stand - I don't know. (pauses) But I know who Steve was meeting.

Rush and Valens look to each other intrigued.

Rush - Spill it Wayne.

Stand - It was an officer in you Internal Affairs division.

Rush - That's a big department. We need a name.

Stand - (reluctant) A detective Rawlings.

SCENE 14
The interrogation room at the police station. Lilly and co. walk in and detective Rawlings is sitting at the table.

Rawlings - (annoyed) This is ridiculous! I investigate you, not the other way around.

Rush - Seems you're a suspect in our murder investigation detective.

Vera - Also seems you lied to us about a drug investigation in '96.

Rawlings - I didn't lie about that. There was no formal investigation. Just a hunch on my part.

Valens - And you just decided to alert a reporter instead of investigating?

Rawlings - No. I took my hunch to the brass. They weren't interested. Seems homicide was too vital to the department to bring down.

Flashback to Rawlings meeting with the brass. The song "Ironic" by Alanis Morissette plays in the background.

Rawlings - I've seen some of it with my own eyes, sir.

"Brass" - Without hard evidence, you have nothing Rawlings.

Rawlings - That's why I need to investigate, so I can get the hard evidence.

"Brass" - Leave it alone, detective. There's nothing to investigate.

Rawlings - What if I look into it quietly, off the record?

"Brass" - (angry) You do, and I'll have your badge!

Back to present

Rawlings - That's when I called Steve. He was the investigative reporter. I figured he could get to the bottom of it.

Rush - That must have really angry the brass.

Rawlings - They never found out because the story never aired.

Jeffries - What was in the file you gave Steve?

Rawlings - Pictures, witness testimony, all the work I had done secretly before going to the brass.

Rush - Why'd you kill him? Have second thoughts about ruining your career?

Rawlings - (annoyed) I didn't kill Steve. I wanted the truth to come out, even if it meant my job.

Vera - No, then who did?

Rawlings - Only thing I can figure is someone knew we were meeting that night. (pause) I was facing the other way. I heard the gun shots and ran.

SCENE 15
Outside the interrogation room. Lilly and co. discuss the case.

Stillman - If Rawlings was followed that night, then that means that someone else had to know about the meeting.

Rush - Stand knew and he had the motive.

Valens - Yeah, and he was quick to finger Rawlings.

Stillman - Bring him in. See what he's got to say now that we spoke to the source.

SCENE 16
Interrogation room with Wayne at the table. Rush enters alone.

Rush - I guess it's true what they say about the news - can't believe at thing they say.

Stand - (defiant) I don't know what you're talking about.

Rush - Looks like you lied again Wayne. You hid in the alley while Steve met with Rawlings and then you killed him.

Stand - (concerned) I wasn't there that night.

Rush - Then how did Steve end up dead?

Stand - (reluctant) I had a direct contact with the department back then. He would tip me off about active cases. I called him that night to return the favor.

Rush - (annoyed) He got a name?

Stand - Sure he does, but he never used it with me and we only talked on the phone.

Rush - You want me to believe that you have no idea who he was?

Stand - All I had was a code name.

Rush - Yeah? What was that?

Stand - (defiant) Don't remember.

Rush - You're going down for this murder Wayne all by yourself, unless you give me the code name.

Stand - Murder? I told you I didn't kill Steve.

Rush - No, but you sent your source there to kill him.

Stand - That's crazy! I just tipped him off. I wanted the story dead and Steve wouldn't listen to me.

Rush - (leaning into Stand) Looks like he listened real well to the .38 though.

Stand - I didn't kill him.

Rush - Then tell me the code name.

Stand - (annoyed) Mack. It was Mack.

Fade to black.

[TVFan]

SCENE 17
Stillman's office. Rush and Valens are sitting with Stillman around his desk.

Rush - So, Wayne had a source of his own in the department.

Stillman - How deep does this thing run?

Valens - That depends on how deep "Mack" was in the department.

Stillman - (intrigued) Mack?

Rush - Yeah, Wayne said it was the code name for his source. Sound familiar to you?

Stillman - It wasn't a code name. It was more of a nickname. Troy "Mack" Williams was the PR person for the department in the '90s. He was our "talking head." He loved the face time on the local news as long as it was good news, but stopped at nothing to keep a bad story quiet.

Valens - Including murder?

Stillman - I wouldn't go that far, but he was ruthless.

Rush - Where is he now?

Stillman - He retired a few years back. Last I heard he lived on the west side of the city. His address should be in the computer. See if his story matches Stand's.

SCENE 18
Rush and Valens knock on the door of a modest house in the city. An older man answers the door.

Rush - Mack Williams? (man nods) Detectives Rush, Valens homicide.

Williams - Sorry my dear, I'm retired.

Rush - We're not here about that.

Valens - We're here about Steve Joy.

Williams - A lousy, lying reporter who got what he deserved.

Rush - So you remember the case.

Williams - Of course I do. The city's better off without him.

Valens - You mean the fact that his story never came out.

Williams - Lies, all lies.

Rush - Not according to detective Rawlings.

Williams - Rawlings was an over zealous cop stuck working in IAB. He was looking for a big break and exposing something he claimed was true was his meal ticket.

Valens - Look, we know Wayne Stand called you that night.

Rush - Yeah, he told us all about your conversation. He said you went to the alley that night.

Williams - Well, did he also tell you he told me to do whatever it took to kill the story? I did what I had to to protect the department. If I hadn't, you wouldn't be standing here right now. Really, you should be thanking me. Someone needed to shut Steve up.

Flashback to the same alley as the beginning. Williams is seen hiding behind a garbage bin. He watches Joy and Rawlings approach. He sees Rawlings hand a file over to Joy. They shake and Joy walks off in the other direction. Williams approaches and starts following Joy. He pulls out a gun and Joy turns around. Williams shoots him three times. Joy falls to the ground. Williams leans over and takes the file. He runs off.

Closing to scenes. The song "The World I Know" by Collective Soul plays in the background. Scotty cuffs Williams and he and Lilly escort him off his front porch and into the police car. Lilly turns around and "sees" Steve - he smiles and nods at her. Jeffries and Vera arrest Wayne in his office and escort him through his newsroom. Lilly writes "CLOSED" on the case box and hands it to Scotty. He files it in the basement. Lilly hand delivers Steve's notes to Mrs. Joy. She seems elated. Close up on Lilly as she smiles. Fade to black.

[Tati]

this is so good!!!!

I want more !!

[kym667103]

Great Story.