I/E. CCPD CROWN VICTORIA - DAY
George drives the Crown Vic back to Harbor City. He’s wearing a pair of sunglasses to cover his growing black eye.
GEORGE (V.O.)
The drive home was uneventful, except for two things. One, Janella called me after she left the church saying she wanted to meet and Liz called me, telling me that Angie was coming over for dinner. I really wasn’t in the mood for any bullshit that night.
XAVIER (O.S)
(shouting)
Whoa, hol up!
INT. GEORGE'S DINING ROOM - NIGHT
George looks at Xavier, who has a what-the-fuck look on his face.
GEORGE
What?
XAVIER
(shouting)
Y’all just gonna gloss over that shit? Like, y’all just dropping that bomb about your sister and moving on?
GEORGE
Mutha fucka, I’m telling that story, keep ya panties on.
Angie looks around the table, very self-concious of how they view her at this moment. Chuck and Liz are in the doorway. He smiles at her and nods. She speaks up.
ANGIE
Listen, I know this hard to explain, and Georgie’s doing a good job of this, but that was like 25 years ago, and the shit we did we did for a good reason. It’s hard to explain-
CHUCK
We fucked up some people before they killed one of ours. We were at war, they just didn’t know it yet.
GEORGE
If we didn’t put this shit behind us, none of us would be here right now.
CHUCK
Yeah, but that was one awkward as fuck dinner.
INT. OLD HOUSE LIVING ROOM - EVENING
Inside of a living room of a craftsman style house with tan walls, a younger LIZ LEWIS sits on a couch, holding a 4-month-old baby boy. This is BABY CALEB. Liz is disheveled, looking like she hasn’t slept in days, showered in weeks, and shit since the stone age. In other words, just like a brand new mom. Next to her on the couch is Janella, who is making cooing sounds at little Caleb.
CHUCK (V.O.)
We’d been dating for like a month, and we talked about me meeting her brother and his family.
GEORGE (V.O.)
Wait, this ain’t your story.
ANGIE (V.O.)
He was there for a bit before you showed up, let’em tell it.
GEORGE (V.O.)
Fine, but when I get back in this story, I take over.
CHUCK (V.O.)
And I’ll check yo ass when you fuck it up. Now, where was I? Oh yeah, we decided to come visit Liz, George and little Caleb.
There is a knock at the door. It then opens before anyone can say anything. It’s Angie.
ANGIE
We’re here.
LIZ
We?
Liz turns to the door. Angie walks in, carrying a couple two liters of soda and some food in a bag. Behind her is Chuck. He has two large pizza boxes and a smaller box on top. Once he gets in, Angie closes the door behind him.
ANGIE
Hey Liz. Janella, right?
LIZ
Hey, who’s this?
ANGIE
Liz, this is Chuck. Chuck, this is Liz, and Janella. Chuck’s my boyfriend.
Chuck nods.
CHUCK
Hi.
ANGIE
We’ll put this on the table.
Angie walks around like she almost lives here. Chuck follows her, unsure of what to do. The two women on the couch look at each other, then back at Caleb. Chuck looks at the two women on the couch.
CHUCK (V.O.)
I had no clue who they were. That Angie knew them made me a little more at ease. Right up until that black lady opened her mouth.
SERENA (V.O.)
What’s her being black got to do with it?
CHUCK (V.O.)
Shit, I didn’t know her name, but there were three people on the couch. A white lady, a black lady, and a baby that looked a hell of a lot like the white lady. Angie knew the white lady like they were best friends or sisters. I assumed that was Liz. No clue about the other one. Anyway, we put the food down and Angie starts getting plates.
Angie grabs a stack of plates and some cups. After a moment she goes to the couch. She gives Liz a hug then grabs Caleb.
ANGIE
How’s my little man doing? You giving mommy a hard time?
LIZ
He’s real cranky today. Watch out, he’s teething.
Chuck comes over to formally introduce himself.
CHUCK
Hi, I’m Chuck.
LIZ
Liz.
They shake hands. Liz is ready to eat. Chuck turns to Janella.
CHUCK
I’m Chuck. Angie’s boyfriend.
JANELLA
Janella. Jenkins. I’m George’s partner.
Chuck looks like he saw a ghost. His hand almost goes limp while shaking.
CHUCK
Oh, so...
JANELLA
Yes, I’m a cop. Stopped by to see George when he gets in, but might as well hang out and see the little cutie, too.
ANGIE
She was in the car when you called that first day.
Janella laughs a little.
JANELLA
I promise I won’t shoot you unless you do something to deserve it. Now, I smell pizza.
The go to the table at the edge of the living room. Liz sits in a chair next to Caleb in a high chair. Angie helps her get Caleb’s bottle ready. Janella sits at one end of the table. Chuck picks a spot next to an empty seat at the head of the table reserved for George.
About 20 minutes pass.
Everyone sits around the table eating their dinner. The mood is lightening when the outside door opens. In comes George, looking like shit. He gets about three steps into the house before everyone sees and stares at him.
He wears a pair of sunglasses. His suit is covered in dirt, his shoes are scuffed, the sleeve on his suit jacket is torn, his tie is ripped, there’s blood on his shirt. He walks with a limp.
Liz jumps out of her seat.
LIZ
OH MY GOD, ARE YOU OKAY?! WHAT HAPPENED?
JANELLA
You okay?
LIZ
WHAT HAPPENED?
GEORGE
I had a slight difference of opinion with someone at work.
LIZ
DON’T PLAY AROUND, WHAT HAPPENED?
GEORGE
I’m fine. Interview went a little sideways.
CHUCK
Dude, you need something?
ANGIE
How bad?
GEORGE
You think this is bad you should see the other guy.
George laughs at his own joke, then groans and holds his side.
GEORGE
I shouldn’t joke, I broke a fucking rib.
George moves gingerly to the table.
CHUCK
What you need?
GEORGE
4 Vitamin I and a Guinness.
Angie goes down the hall for a moment and returns with a bottle of ibuprofen. Chuck goes to the kitchen and grabs a beer. He returns with an opened beer. George takes 4 of the little orange pills and a large swig of beer.
GEORGE
Thanks. Pizza, I’m starving.
Everyone looks at him like he’s nuts.
GEORGE
I’ll go to the hospital later. Nothing else is broken, and I’ve had worse. Not for a long time, but I’ve had worse.
Liz sits down for a moment before Caleb makes a mess. She gets up to clean it. George looks over to Angie and Chuck.
GEORGE
(whisper)
We talk when he goes to bed.
CHUCK
By the way, I’m Chuck. If ya hadn’t figured it out yet.
GEORGE
Hi. Almost didn’t recognize you without the clown makeup. How’s things going?
CHUCK
Well, it’s been 10 seconds and you haven’t maced me yet, that’s a good start.
GEORGE
Pepper spray, not mace. There’s a difference. One is a chemical irritant. The other can be used on wings if you’re brave enough.
George chows down. Eventually everyone gets back to eating.
INT. OLD HOUSE LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
Time passes. It’s after dinner, and Liz is upstairs putting Caleb to bed. George yells up the stairwell.
GEORGE
(shouting)
Hey hun, I’m gonna show them the workshop, be back up in a bit.
LIZ (O.S)
Okay.
George motions to everyone else in the room to go downstairs. Angie moves to help George, but he waves her off. She gives Chuck a look, and he gets near George. Angie leads the way downstairs, followed by Janella, then Chuck, and finally George. They walk towards the basement.
INT. OLD HOUSE BASEMENT - NIGHT
The basement is old and exposed foundation block with a small concrete slab. A bunch of boxes are pushed off to one side. A workbench with various tools sit under the best light in the basement. There’s a chair by the workbench and a couch across from it a few feet away. A few feet from the boxes sits a 1993 Harley-Davidson Electra Glide, disassembled and built of mismatched parts.
Angie makes her way down the steps first, followed by Janella and Chuck. The taller man is playing spotter as George walks slowly down the steps. Once he’s on the slab, he makes his way over to the bench and sits down. He motions for everyone else to sit down. George takes a few shallow breaths, wincing in pain. Angie and Chuck stand by the couch, Janella is hanging out in between them.
ANGIE
Georgie, you need to go to the hospital.
GEORGE
I know. Broke at least one rib, I’m sore all over, and I look like shit. But like I said, you should see the other guy. Speaking of the other guy, your ex-husband throws a pretty decent right hook.
ANGIE
WHAT?
JANELLA
WHAT?
CHUCK
Huh?
JANELLA
What are you doing?
ANGIE
What the fuck, George?
George looks to Janella.
GEORGE
They’re in the shit now, I’m bringing them in, they need to know a little. Besides, they got some questions to answer.
George looks at Angie and Chuck.
ANGIE
What the fuck is going on?
GEORGE
Please, sit.
He waits for the young couple to sit on the couch. Janella looks just as lost as everyone else.
GEORGE
Ever heard of Queen for a Day?
Angie looks confused, but Chuck nods.
CHUCK
Yeah. Isn’t that when you’re about to snitch and you tell them all the shit you’ve done? They won’t use it against you, but if you lie and fuck with them-
GEORGE
They’ll fucking ruin you. Well, let me tell you all how my day went.
George adjusted his seat, trying to ease the pain.
GEORGE
Janella and I are working a case. A pretty big case. You’re not gonna get all the details cause we still got work to do, but you two got volunteered to help. See, I took a drive today. Janella, she stayed local to get what info she could here in Harbor City while I went north to Camp Hiawatha. That place ring a bell?
Angie’s face goes white with recognition and fear.
ANGIE
That’s...
GEORGE
That’s the bible camp owned by First Union Holy Church, the place you went to camp in 1995. The place where you met Bob. See, you never told me the truth about when you met him. You said he was on the lake and you snuck out pretty far. You knew I’d lose my shit if I ever found out how close he was. You were right. When that mail came to my place with his last name, I was skeptical that you just met him a few months ago, but I didn’t push it further. Then you told me that you met him a couple times up at the lake, a long hike away.
ANGIE
George-
GEORGE
I’m not done, not even close. So, imagine my surprise when after getting stonewalled by the staff at the camp, I decide to go for a walk, get a lay of the land, and I walk to the neighbor’s camp. The neighbor, less than a half mile from the camp, that owns a piece of shit, rusted out, powder blue early 80’s pickup truck. Bob’s pickup truck. Needless to say, things didn’t go so well.
ANGIE
I, it’s-
GEORGE
Just let me cut to the chase, please. After an armed standoff, we took a little walk. I let my anger get the best of me, and next thing I know we’re having a pretty rough fight in the woods. Honestly, we needed that.
JANELLA
You needed that?
CHUCK
It’s a guy thing.
GEORGE
Exactly. We cut through all the bullshit in record time, and all it cost us were some broken ribs, a concussion or two, some black eyes, possibly a dislocated shoulder, some broken fingers and knuckles, and some blood. Most of that will heal without any intervention. Where was I?
CHUCK
You beat the shit out of each other.
GEORGE
Right. Now, none of this shit leaves this room. After that, we got to talking. You see, Janella and I are working on a case. Possibly a big case. And you two dragged into it by one of the main targets.
CHUCK
Who?
GEORGE
Who owns Camp Hiawatha?
Chuck shrugs his shoulders. Angie responds flatly.
ANGIE
First Union.
GEORGE
Exactly.
JANELLA
You sure you wanna do this? Maybe it’s the head trauma talking.
George turns to Janella.
GEORGE
They were involved back in 1995. Both of them. I can confirm 3 of the 4 from the deposition, and I have verification of some of the stuff I was told by the informant. I also have the names we were looking for, and most of the why. By the way, the staff there said all of the records for the camp were kept at the church headquarters here in Chester County.
JANELLA
Here?
GEORGE
Yeah.
George turns to Angie and Chuck on the couch. He focuses on Chuck.
GEORGE
I know what both of you did on that Friday night in August 1995. Chuck, what you, Vinny, Paul, and Gary did with 43SK and 16 South to that girl Michelle, more or less what happened with Melissa and Chad, and what those dickbags from First Union did to Michelle once she was back in Tyrell’s office. I know that Gary pretended to speak with the shittiest southern accent all night, and that you guys filmed the whole thing and took pics. I know that one of the dickbags got his ass kicked so bad a couple months later he got his teeth knocked out. And I know that Melissa and Chad got married, mostly because of what you guys did to her.
George turns toward Angie.
GEORGE
And you, Ange, I need to know why. I’ve got a good damn feeling, but I want to hear why you, Jen, and Stacy joined Bob in beating and raping Natalie Daniels.
Angie looked like she saw a ghost. Janella is shocked, almost too shocked to speak. Almost.
JANELLA
You mean-
GEORGE
Yeah. Two big things happened up by the lake today. Obviously, getting my ass kicked was one of them, but the other is I had the most delicious Ham & Swiss sandwich of my life, and it was at a bait shop. Highly recommended food.
JANELLA
A bait shop?
CHUCK
E&B’s. Gay couple owns a bait shop and bistro up there. They make their own mustard, mayo, everything.
JANELLA
Are you sure you should be talking about food at a time like this?
CHUCK
Just saying, great food.
GEORGE
It’s okay Nella. Anyway, I talked to Brandon. Turns out he went to camp with Angie et al. His boyfriend, husband, partner, whatever the term is, was a counselor named Eric. Ring a bell Ange?
Angie’s barely paying attention at this point.
GEORGE
Anyway, Brandon tells me some names. Turns out Chad was his first love, and was being blackmailed by Natalie to be a total asshole to Stacy. He also gabbed about a fight in the mess hall where a certain young woman in this room jumped over a table, beat the shit out of Natalie, and ripped a chunk of her hair out after Natalie outed Stacy. Meanwhile, Jen was being held back from stabbing the bitch with a butter knife. Then, one Sunday morning Natalie’s walking around looking like death warmed over and even apologized for what she said. That bitch never apologized for anything in her life, never will. So that tells me someone really fucked her up, and fucked her up good. Someone hurt her so thoroughly she suffered a narcissistic death. How’m I doing so far?
Angie bends over, face in her hands as she starts crying. Chuck consoles her.
GEORGE
You see, it was such a weird story with the way it played out in her deposition, but it was the only one that didn’t shift her point of view. Out of four stories she told, this was the only one she didn’t lie about who was attacked.
CHUCK
What stories?
Angie sobs on the couch next to Chuck. He turns back to her.
ANGIE
I’m sorry. I’m sorry.
CHUCK
Shhh, it’s okay, let it out.
GEORGE
Like I said, we’re working on a case...
George describes the case to Angie and Chuck. Chuck is paying attention more than Angie, who is letting 8 years of pent-up guilt out at once.
GEORGE (V.O.)
I went through it all. Well, almost all of it. I kept names of other victims out of it, and didn’t tell them who my informant was. Not that I needed to hide that, they figured it out shortly. I went through the random cases, Hillside PD being corrupt, the money laundering, the fancy cars, the human trafficking to the bible camp, the tons of videos, Natalie’s deposition, Jen and Stacy’s rape, all of it. Janella added in the parts from earlier in the day at the church with Jonas’s shoulder in a sling.
GEORGE
I got some questions. I feel like I know like 80%, but it’s that last 20% which will be the hard part.
ANGIE
I’m, I’m sorry. What we did...
CHUCK
We did it because we had to. We were at war. They were gonna kill Stacy if we didn’t send a message. We didn’t do this shit cause we were bored, one of our family was at risk.
ANGIE
Please, Georgie, please don’t hold this over me, please don’t push me away.
CHUCK
It’s okay, hun, I’m here.
GEORGE
Ang, I’m not even mad at this point. I’ve gone through all five stages of grief on the way home over this. I had a 3 hour drive to think about this. I’m not gonna judge you by the worst night of your life. I still love you, and always will.
Angie leaps off the couch and hugs George. He moans in pain. She doesn’t let go. Chuck gets up and pulls her off of him.
CHUCK
(to George)
I ain’t hugging your ass.
GEORGE
Don’t want you to. Now, I got two questions. What crazy shit did you pull with Chad and Melissa at the motel? And what’s this about Stacy’s confession?
CHUCK
Mind if I get something out of my truck? It’ll explain it.
George points through the garage door. Chuck goes into the next room. The outer door opens. A moment later, it closes. Angie grabs George’s hand instead of hugging him. He nods.
Chuck returns carrying a box of papers. George points to Janella, and Chuck gives her the papers.
JANELLA
What’s this?
CHUCK
That’ll answer your questions about Chad and the girls. Back in the day, Stacy and Jen copied some files from the church. They also made a copy of Natalie’s journal. She was a sick bitch then, and just got worse.
GEORGE
Why did you have those? Today, of all days.
Chuck takes a deep breath.
CHUCK
Bob called me this afternoon. I wasn’t gonna say anything, I didn’t want to freak anyone out, and he sounded pretty fucked up. Drunk, stoned, all of it.
GEORGE
What time?
CHUCK
Like 3PM or so.
GEORGE
He self-medicated by then. Go on.
CHUCK
Anyways, he asked me to bring this stuff to you. Said to give it to you. I asked if he was high, he said yeah.
Angie looks hurt by this.
CHUCK
Hun, I’m sorry. I had no clue about the fight, the work, none of it. We were talking about coming and meeting them anyway, it all worked together.
Chuck grabs her by the shoulder, then the two hug.
CHUCK
I’m sorry hun. I don’t wanna fuck this up. I, I...
Angie kisses him.
ANGIE
Now might not be the best time, but yeah, me too.
Janella puts the box on the workbench and grabs a folder named Chad Swanson. She looks through it.
GEORGE
Now, tell me about the confession.
ANGIE
What confession?
CHUCK
Stacy’s nuke list.
ANGIE
Oh, THAT. I wouldn’t call it a confession, but I never saw it.
GEORGE
What do you know?
ANGIE
You know we recorded...what we did. At some point in the day before it, Stacy wrote down the names of everyone who ever hurt her and recorded it. Anyone who hurt her, how they hurt her, all of it.
CHUCK
I never saw it, but I heard of it. There were a couple copies made. Bob has one, Vinny had one, but not anymore. If anyone else has a copy, maybe Jordan.
GEORGE
Who’s Jordan?
CHUCK
Don’t know, really. He’s some kind of photo and video nerd. Jordan’s not his real name, though. Always wore a Michael Jordan jersey or Bulls stuff. Never saw him in anything else. Bob hated taking stuff out of house, but none of us had a clue how to do that shit, so he went to Jordan. I think he was local. White guy, shorter and fatter than me.
George looks up to Chuck’s full height.
GEORGE
That’s like everyone in Harbor City. But it’s a start.
Janella’s eyes go wide reading the file on Chad.
JANELLA
Holy shit!
George quickly turns to Janella. He immediately regrets it.
GEORGE
What?
JANELLA
Chuck, is this accurate?
CHUCK
Copied straight from the filing cabinets of the camp, verified several ways.
GEORGE
What?
JANELLA
Get this. For some reason, the church had the families give their financial information. Chad Swanson’s parents are Roland and Roda Swanson.
GEORGE
THEM?!
JANELLA
Yeah.
ANGIE
Who?
GEORGE
Two of the biggest tax attorneys in Harbor City. Specialize in cleaning the books of criminal organizations, but have clients all over the city. Name a bad guy, they do their taxes, and do a very good job, too.
JANELLA
Chad’s parents left him 3 accounts each worth $5 million. They were to be payable upon adulthood to him, his wife, and first child born in wedlock.
GEORGE
15 million dollars. Holy shit.
CHUCK
They wanted grandkids, and Chad was gay. Like really, really gay. He didn’t even want to do it for the money. But Natalie was going to blackmail him into getting married, have sex a couple times, then she’d get knocked up by someone else and have the kid, collecting the money. Then, she’d drive Chad to kill himself, and collect all the money.
GEORGE
So that’s why Melissa was left alone. She was Chad’s for the night, but it didn’t end there.
CHUCK
We gave him a choice of girl. If he didn’t choose, they’d both be gang raped and he’d watch. Whichever one he chose, she was safe. Melissa had a big crush on him and they were already friends. That left Michelle to her fate. She’s the only one I feel sorry for in this mess, especially after those dipshits raped her at the church.
Janella looks through some more of the files in the box. They include financial documents, letters, and a photocopy of a journal.
JANELLA
I’m not sure how much of this we can use, but it helps build the case.
CHUCK
So, what now?
JANELLA
Now, it’s late and people need to get some sleep. George needs to go to the hospital tomorrow.
GEORGE
We need to talk to those three, Melissa, Chad and Michelle. Then we need to find out what we can about the Costa Rica missions, track down the webmaster for that survivor’s site, get the feds involved to check out the incoming flights, rustle up some victims, get our hands on these videos without blue dots covering the faces of the perps, identify them, find this Jordan character, and see how the informant-
ANGIE
Jen.
GEORGE
I don’t-
ANGIE
Your informant is Jen. The only people who knew about Stacy’s Nuke List were Bob, Jen, Stacy, Me, the boys, and whoever Jordan is. None of those guys would ever snitch out to you, Bob held out his copy, Stacy’s probably hiding somewhere in plain sight, and I didn’t tell you about it. That leaves Jen. Considering she’s good with computers, it all adds up.
GEORGE
No one outside of this room can ever find out what she’s doing. She’s in danger. But we need to figure out how she got her information, and where. Nella and I saw shit that can’t be unseen, and it has to stop.
Angie nods. George gives her a half hug. She hugs him more, then pulls back when he winces.
ANGIE
You gonna be okay?
GEORGE
I’ll be fine. Not my first rodeo. Besides, I saw child birth a few months back, this is nothing. Might need a hand getting up the stairs, though.
CHUCK
Here, I’ll spot ya.
GEORGE
Thanks.
George gets up and gingerly walks over to the steps.
CHUCK
Speaking of lending a hand, let me know if you want one with those projects. Angie said you like to tinker, but didn’t say you had a 911 in the garage. 85 or 86?
They slowly walk up the steps.
GEORGE
86. Good eye. It’s a hobby at this point. Why spend a lot of money buying your dream car when you save money buying it a piece at a time.
CHUCK
And seven times as much in new tools, replacement parts, and time spent?
GEORGE
Exactly.
The crew walk up the steps.
EXT. HILLSIDE ESTATES GUARD HOUSE - DAY
On a bright, sunny Saturday morning, the Crown Vic pulls up to a guard station at a gated community.
GEORGE (V.O.)
We waited until Monday to visit Chad and Melissa. I went to the ER the next morning. 1 broken rib, a few bruises, a concussion, and I pissed blood for a couple days. The black eye was in full force by Monday morning.
George pulls up to the guard tower. He flashes his police badge. The guard refuses to open the gate. George continues to hold the badge in front of the guard house window. The guard opens a window.
GUARD
Identification please.
GEORGE
I’m holding it. Chester County Police Department.
GUARD
I said Identification.
George checks to make sure he’s holding both his police badge and official work ID. He is.
GEORGE
It’s here, in my hand.
GUARD
I need a state issued ID, not a work ID.
George puts the car in park, then opens the door. He climbs out, getting face to face with the guard.
GEORGE
Look. Detective George Lewis, Chester County Police Department. See the badge?
GUARD
I have my rules.
George pulls a pair of handcuffs out of a pocket on the back of his belt.
GEORGE
See the cuffs?
George takes off his sunglasses, showing off a huge black eye.
GEORGE
See the shiner? I got that from someone who is pissing me off a Hell of a lot less than you are right now.
GUARD
Unless you-
George puts a little more bass in his voice.
GEORGE
Unless you want to spend the night in county lockup with an Obstruction of Justice charge on your record, I’d suggest you open the gate. I am not in the mood to take any shit from some mall guard, rent-a-cop playing little tinpot dictator wannabe.
GUARD
I need-
GEORGE
You need to know that we are on official police business. If you continue to get in our way, I will arrest you right here and now. As far as whom we’re visiting, it’s Nunya. Nunya Goddamn Business. Are you going to open the gate, or do I ram it, back up, and arrest you for scratching my paint job?
The guard reluctantly opens the gate. George gets back in the car and puts it in drive.
GEORGE
Thank you.
George drives through the now-open gate.
EXT. SWANSON RESIDENCE - DAY
The Crown Vic pulls up in front of a French Country style home. It is large, easily 6 bedrooms and 9,000 square feet. The yard is perfectly manicured and the trees and shrubs are perfectly pruned. From the outside, the house is perfect.
GEORGE (V.O.)
We pulled up to the residence of Chad and Melissa. This place was huge. It was bigger than my last four places combined. Back then, it must’ve cost half a million, easy. Nowadays, the GDP of a small island nation in the South Pacific.
George and Janella approach the door. George rings the doorbell. A moment passes before a kid with dark hair and brown eyes opens the door. Before the kid can say anything, a woman yells from inside
MELISSA (O.S)
(shouting)
Dammit C.J., don’t open the door, only Mommy and Daddy open the door. Got it?
A blonde woman with blue eyes walks forward. She’s young, 24 or 25. She’s carrying a baby on her hip, probably about a year and a half old, and another infant in her arms, about 7 or 8 months.
MELISSA
I don’t have time for whatever you’re selling.
George holds up his badge.
GEORGE
Mrs. Swanson, I presume?
MELISSA
Yes...
GEORGE
I’m George Lewis, Chester County PD. This is my partner, Janella Jenkins. Is, is your husband home? Is this a good time?
MELISSA
No to both. It’s never a good time. What’s this about?
Two kids yell in the background.
GEORGE
We’re investigating some events that took place a few years ago in Veneto.
Melissa’s stance changed, nearly frozen. She shakes out of her stupor quickly and waves the two cops inside.
MELISSA
Come on in, excuse the mess.
INT. SWANSON RESIDENCE - DAY
The foyer looks amazing, with marble floors and white walls. It opens up to a living area which opens up even further. Two kids, the boy from earlier and another girl close to him in age play in the family room. Melissa sits on a very expensive looking couch around a table.
MELISSA
C.J., Kayla!
The boy and girl run over.
C.J.
What Mom?
MELISSA
Take Sydney to the play room. Just, go play for a few minutes.
KAYLA
Okay Mommy.
The two kids drag their little sister along with them to a play area in the next room. Melissa turned back to the cops as the infant starts to cry.
MELISSA
Did you two want anything?
GEORGE
No, we’re good.
JANELLA
You’ve got your hands full and then some, we’re okay.
MELISSA
(to the baby)
Who’s a fussy buddy? You getting hungry?
The baby, KAYDEN, nods a little in that way that only a mother understands.
MELISSA
Lunch time, buddy.
Mindlessly, Melissa unbuttons her shirt and uncovers her left breast. A moment later, she’s shoving the baby’s face onto her tit.
MELISSA
If this bothers you-
George waves off.
GEORGE
Oh, no. I have a 4-month-old at home.
MELISSA
Good. I’m starting to wean Kayden here, but he still prefers the tap. Little punk is a chewer, though. What’s your kid’s name?
GEORGE
Caleb. He’s just starting to teethe.
Kayden gets a good latch and feeds. Melissa points to a coffee cup on the table that is just out of reach. Janella pushes it over to her.
MELISSA
Thanks.
She takes a sip.
MELISSA
You want to ask about something that happened in Veneto a few years ago?
GEORGE
Yes ma’am.
MELISSA
How far back are you talking? Because something happened, but it was more than a few years ago. What does this have to do with my husband?
GEORGE
From what we understand, he was there too.
Melissa takes a drink of her cold coffee.
MELISSA
You’re asking about what happened back in the Summer of 1995?
George and Janella nod.
MELISSA
I’ll answer a couple questions, but I have one. Why now? Why, after all these years, you’re finally coming around?
GEORGE
To be honest, we just heard about it. We only recently had anything to work with.
MELISSA
Nothing after 7 and a half, almost 8 years. That’s a long time. I’ll see what I can do. Where do you want to start?
GEORGE
How did you end up at the Roadside Motel?
Melissa thinks for a moment.
MELISSA
Someone approached the church we went to about setting up a mission to help a sister church in Veneto run an open kitchen for the night. First Union Holy Church. Pastor Jamie asked a couple of us if we’d be interested. I was going to say no, but Chad volunteered. I said yes, then Michelle said yes right after. We drove down in one of the vans with other kids, worked for a bit, then one of the pastors working with the Veneto church brought up an idea about going to distribute meals at a motel. Then things went to shit.
GEORGE
How so?
MELISSA
Well, when I say went to shit, we were kidnapped, stripped, and my best friend was raped by a dozen guys while I was forced to have sex for the first time. All the time they filmed it and took pictures. Does that count as going to shit?
George nods.
MELISSA
It was some seriously sick shit. We were tricked to go to a certain room, then pushed in. They held us at gunpoint, forced us to strip, then tied us each to a bed. Then, that one pastor from earlier came in with Chad and told him to choose one of us to fuck and knock up while the other was raped. If he didn’t... well, there were a dozen guys and two of us. You do the math.
GEORGE
I think I understand.
MELISSA
I mean, it’s not like I got off completely scot free. Chad was, well, he was having performance issues for a bit, and that pastor gave me a choice to help Chad fuck me but I had to blow two guys. One was a big black guy, and the other was Pastor Jonas. Jonas Daniels, he and Jamie were brothers. Jonas came with us to the hotel. They made Jonas fuck Michelle. Then back at the church, while I’m having a nice quiet moment with my new boyfriend, Jonas and Jamie raped Michelle. Guess they needed to make sure they got their piece of ass.
George and Janella share a look.
GEORGE
Jamie and Jonas Daniels?
MELISSA
Yes. And they didn’t stop that night. Oh, no, they kept using Michelle. They each fucked her two more times that weekend alone. And who knows how many times over the next few months. It got so bad that she had a nervous breakdown.
JANELLA
You seem relatively calm about this whole thing.
MELISSA
Well, several years of therapy, a loving and caring husband, and 4 crazy children helps with coping.
JANELLA
Mrs. Swanson, how old are you?
MELISSA
Just call me Melissa, and I’m 25. The kids, well Chad Junior is 7, Kayla is 5, Sydney is 19 months, and Kayden here is 8 months. We married a few months after that night, shortly after we found out about C.J. And if the next question is how do two kids that married in high school afford this place, it was a wedding gift from his parents. They live right down the street.
GEORGE
So they gave you this house for a wedding gift?
MELISSA
Yeah. Among other things. Roland and Roda, they’re nice people who work with lousy people, but they were workaholics. They barely had time for Chad growing up, and didn’t make time for any more kids. They wanted a bigger family and grandkids, so they set up, well, listen, I don’t want this to sound like I was gold digging. I fell in love with him before I knew anything about the trust funds. I was carrying his baby and agreed to marry him before I found out about the trust funds. I didn’t know about the trust funds until after the wedding, and I only knew about the one and thought it was a lot less.
GEORGE
Mind telling us about the trust funds?
MELISSA
Well, his parents wanted grandchildren. Badly. And they thought, well, they thought he needed some motivation. So they set up three trust funds, each worth $5 million. One payable to him, one to me, and one to C.J. upon his birth inside of wedlock. I thought there was one for $500,000. But that much money, it’s crazy.
GEORGE
With that much, how do you stay level-headed? It has to be tempting to just go nuts.
MELISSA
Chad works as a financial advisor, so we’re pretty well invested. We live off of the interest and reinvest what we don’t use. We’re also buying a couple properties here and there, but I have no time to do anything right now.
GEORGE
I have to ask, why...
MELISSA
Why did his parents think he needed motivation to fuck a girl?
GEORGE
That’s one way to put it.
Melissa takes another sip of coffee. Then another.
MELISSA
Listen, Chad is a wonderful man. He’s a loving, caring husband, an amazing father, a gracious lover, it’s just, well, he’s Bi. He really gives off a gay vibe, but it’s because he’s so caring and empathetic that everyone thinks he’s gay. He’s not, not completely. I mean, it’s not like we’re banging like rabbits, but we try to maintain a healthy sex life. It’s just, he likes guys too. We have arrangements in place, but for the most part we’re just making it day to day.
GEORGE
You have a way of getting a hold of Michelle?
Michelle points to a cell phone on the table. George hands it to her. She scrolls through it for a moment, then turns it to George. He writes down the number.
MELISSA
Here. Michelle Bartlett, that’s her number and her current address. We still talk from time to time, but I’m busy with the kids and she’s going to school
George finishes writing the information down, then pulls out a card and gives it to her.
GEORGE
Thank you very much for you time Melissa. If you need anything from us, or think of anything else, feel free to reach out.
MELISSA
Will do. Do you mind showing yourselves out? I’m kind of stuck here.
GEORGE
No problem. Thank you again.
They shake hands as George and Janella get up and leave. They close the door behind them.
EXT. SWANSON RESIDENCE - DAY
George and Janella walk back to the Crown Vic, get in, and leave.
GEORGE (V.O.)
I have to say, I didn’t expect what I got from Melissa, but a lot of therapy, medications, and a few bucks might do that to a woman. Here’s a woman who was 25 years old with 4 kids. While most women should be in college partying or just starting their careers, she’s having a whole family. Found out about the anti-depressants later on, but no big deal really. That little baby grew up, is pretty decent at hockey. I usually see the Swanson’s at the semi-annual massacre at the hands of St. Hilary’s hockey team.
EXT. MICHELLE’S APARTMENT BUILDING - DAY
The Crown Vic pulls up to an apartment building in Collegetown. George and Janella walk up after parking the car.
GEORGE (V.O.)
The info Melissa gave us was a little out of date. Her number was disconnected and she’d moved twice since the address she gave us from 6 months back.
It is a three-story secured building with a locked door and intercom.
GEORGE (V.O.)
Her building was mostly for grad students and post-docs. It was the type that advertised how secure it was, with locked doors and stuff.
George looks at the buzzer listing, finds ‘M. Bartlett’ listed at apartment 204. He hits the buzzer. A voice comes over the intercom.
GEORGE (V.O.)
Melissa’s interview was rather straight forward and helpful, wasn’t difficult to get her attention. Michelle...
MICHELLE (O.S)
Go away!!!
GEORGE (V.O.)
Not so much.
George looks at Janella. They buzz again, but answer. After a minute, they sit back and wait.
GEORGE (V.O.)
Funny thing with a building that has security, it’s only as strong as the weakest element, and that element is people.
One of Michelle’s neighbors, a young Asian man carrying a ‘HCU Med’ backpack, opens the door from the inside. George grabs it. The young man turns to say something, but George shows him is badge. The young man nods and leaves, letting George and Janella enter.
GEORGE (V.O.)
Just flash a badge and they’ll let you in.
INT. APARTMENT HALLWAY - DAY
George and Janella walk down the hallway, stopping in front of Apartment 204. George has his badge ready in his left hand. He knocks with his right.
MICHELLE (O.S)
(shouting)
GO AWAY!
GEORGE
Miss Bartlett? We’d like to ask you a couple questions.
MICHELLE (O.S)
(shouting)
IF YOU DON’T LEAVE, I’M CALLING THE COPS!
GEORGE
We’ll save you the trouble, We’re already here!
One lock unlocks on the door. It opens slightly, still connected by a couple chain locks on the inside. George can barely make out a face on the other side. He holds his badge and ID in view of the door crack.
GEORGE
George Lewis, Detective, Chester County Police Department. Are you Michelle Bartlett?
MICHELLE
I told them already I’m not taking my site down. I don’t care how much they threaten me, I have rights. Now go away!
Michelle closes the door. George knocks again. The door stays closed.
GEORGE
Listen, I’m not here with computer crimes or whatnot or know anything about that website. I’m here looking for Michelle Bartlett. If you aren’t here, talk to your Super about changing the name on the buzzer. If you are, we’d like to ask you some questions. Your name came up as a victim in some crimes that we’re investigating. We talked to Melissa earlier today, she pointed us in your direction.
The door opens another crack. Michelle peers out.
MICHELLE
This isn’t about the website?
GEORGE
I don’t know what website you’re running. I’m here about an attack that took place in Veneto, followed by a series of subsequent attacks against you by Jamie and Jonas Daniels.
The door closes again. Several chain locks are removed before the door is opened again. George lowers his voice to a low, soft level.
GEORGE
May we come in?
Michelle motions them in.
INT. APARTMENT 204 - DAY
It is a small, studio apartment. One light is on over the ‘bedroom’ section of the room, where a desk sits. Two computers sit on the desk. A third computer, a laptop, sits on the dining table in the ‘kitchen’ area. A couch and two chairs are off to the side. The couch is covered in papers. Michelle grabs a stack of them and moves them. George and Janella offer to help, but Michelle knows where she wants them. She pulls a chair from the table over to the couch.
Michelle is dressed like a mess. Her brown hair is loosely pulled back into a scrunchee, her t-shirt looks like it hasn’t been changed for several days, and her zip-up hoodie has seen better days. Her workout shorts haven’t seen a workout in who knows how long, and her legs haven’t seen a razor in weeks.
MICHELLE
Are you sure this isn’t about my website?
George adjusts his sunglasses, then takes them off. He’s forgotten that he has a black eye.
GEORGE
I don’t know what website you’re talking about.
Michelle looks at his face and recoils a bit.
MICHELLE
You okay?
GEORGE
Sorry, yeah I’m fine. Interview went a little south last week. We’re here to ask you some questions about a series of attacks against you from the past. You can tell us about the website later if you want.
Michelle chuckles. The chuckle devolves into a crying which breaks into a mix of sobs and laughter. George and Janella give each other a quick glance.
JANELLA
Is everything okay?
Michelle tries to compose herself, but isn’t doing a good job of it.
MICHELLE
Amazing. Frigging amazing. Coming up on 8 years, and of all weeks, you pick THIS WEEK to finally ask me about my own personal Hell.
George looks around the apartment, then at Michelle, and pieces everything together. The mess, the papers, the lack of hygiene, the stress, the books strewn about, piles of notes and notebooks, more highlighters and paperclips than an office building, and a pile of dishes that has grown it’s own civilation.
JANELLA
What’s this week?
GEORGE
Is this Defense Week?
Michelle nods.
GEORGE
Good luck. What’s your thesis on?
MICHELLE
It’s on how social settings online can affect sexual abuse survivors, and how these virtual support groups work to help them heal.
GEORGE
Masters or Doctoral?
MICHELLE
Doctoral. Counseling Psychology.
GEORGE
Good luck. Criminal Psychology last year. Dr. Vandersloot is a pain in the ass and likes a good fight. Dr. Alexander is a stickler for details. And Dr. Prylock doesn’t want to be there.
Michelle looks at George, then has a look of recognition.
MICHELLE
Did you TA for Vadnersloot a couple years ago?
GEORGE
A semester. Were you in that class?
MICHELLE
Yeah.
Michelle’s mood lightens up.
The three spend a long time talking with Michelle. George and Janella takes notes as Michelle describes everything she went through.
GEORGE (V.O.)
Once Michelle opened up, it all came out. She described the attack in Veneto, how Gary, who called himself Pastor Mitch, suggested going to the motel. She talked about how they were ambushed in a room on the second floor right by the stairwell. They were held at gunpoint, forced to strip for the camera, then tied up. A bunch of gang bangers, all wearing masks, came in and everyone waited for Chad. She described how the biggest of the black guys raped her first, then the rest of them took turns on her, raping her every way possible. But the worst of the attacks came later on.
INT. THE ZONE - DAY
George stands in a new section of the Zone. The scenes are fuzzy, but they fly past in rapid succession. Each one involves Michelle being physically abused.
GEORGE (V.O.)
When they left the motel, she was drugged to keep from coming out of her catatonic shock. While back at Veneto Baptist Church, she woke up to someone climbing in her cot with her. She heard Jamie and Jonas Daniels, then felt them inside her.
The scene of the attack in Tyrell’s office shifts to another one, this one in the back of the First Union travel van. This one showed her unconcious, bent over one of the rear seats, her skirt pushed up around her waist and her panties down around her ankles. One of the Daniels’ Family fucked her from behind while another used her face. The two switched positions after a while.
GEORGE (V.O.)
On the way home from the church, when it was just Michelle left, Jamie offered her a drink of hot chocolate. She felt drowsy after a few minutes. When she came to, her vagina and throat were sore. She wanted to go home, but they had other plans.
The scene shifts again. Michelle lies naked on a bed. Five men surround the bed while another person, an older woman, lays on the bed, straddling Michelle’s face. Eventually, all of the men took turns fucking Michelle however they wanted.
GEORGE (V.O.)
Jamie and Jonas took her back to Reverend Charlie’s house. That’s when all of them fucked her. She wanted to struggle, but she was still reeling from the affects of the drugs. Reverend Charlie was mad that he “didn’t get to pop her cherry” but settled for fucking Michelle in the ass and cumming in her mouth. They were joined by Mrs. Daniels, Samantha, who enjoyed making Michelle satisfy her, and their sons Jason and Jacob.
The attacks fly past in a blur. Various combinations of men, boys, women, and girls.
GEORGE (V.O.)
Over the next couple months, she was raped more times than she could count. She was pimped out to members of the church, friends, even some local politicians. They made her fuck other boys her age and younger, and even some girls on film.
The scene shifts to one of Michelle tied up, standing in the middle of a room. She has a gag in her mouth. Behind her is a blonde woman holding a cat’o’nine tails whip. The woman beats Michelle mercilessly. George steps around. It’s Natalie.
GEORGE (V.O.)
The worst of it were the beatings. Michelle thought Natalie was her friend, but Natalie took extra pleasure in torturing and raping Michelle. While the men used Michelle for their pleasure, Natalie only wanted to elicit pain. Whippings, piercing her nipples and clit with needles, using gator clips and binder clips, electrocuting her, she took perverse pleasure in administering pain.
The scene changes. Michelle is at home, in a bathtub. She’s passed out, a bottle of pills lying by the edge of the bed. Two older people, her parents, run in.
GEORGE (V.O.)
All this happened over two months. By mid-October, she couldn’t handle it anymore and tried to kill herself. She OD’ed on Zoloft, which was prescribed to her mom.
The next image. The doctors are trying to talk to Michelle’s parents, but they can’t believe what they heard.
GEORGE (V.O.)
After being admitted for a psych eval, the doctors told her parents she was pregnant and that she miscarried. In actuality, she wanted an abortion and the doctors lied on her behalf.
Two police officers, wearing Hillside PD uniforms, leave her room. Michelle’s in tears.
GEORGE (V.O.)
She reported her rapes, but the cops from Hillside didn’t even bother taking notes. Even her own parents didn’t believe her until one day her dad received a package in the mail.
Michelle’s father looks at a series of photos and listens to a tape of Michelle’s rape at the hands of Jamie and Jonas. A moment later, Michelle’s father confronts Jonas and hits him in the face with a tire iron, knocking out his teeth and breaking his jaw. Jonas lays on the ground, bleeding. Her father is pulled away and arrested.
GEORGE (V.O.)
A little birdie sent Michelle’s father a package. Someone spied on them at VBC and recorded Jamie and Jonas raping her. That sent her father into a rage and he literally beat a man with a tire iron. The whole thing was swept under the rug, because Charlie didn’t want his part in this coming out. Some kind of agreement was reached. The Bartlett’s never came back to First Union, and they’ve been left alone for the most part.
Michelle slowly recovered, then went to school.
GEORGE (V.O.)
Michelle for her part went on to make chicken salad out of chicken shit. She’s about to complete her Doctorate in Counseling Psychology and has an internship lined up to work with sexual abuse survivors at a women’s shelter.
George blinks.
INT. APARTMENT 204 - DAY
George is back in the apartment. Michelle is calm, more or less. She just told her story, and looks both tired and relieved.
JANELLA
Did you ever try reporting these attacks again?
MICHELLE
Not really. Each time I’d go to the cops anywhere else, they’d say go to Hillside. I’d go to Hillside, they’d either laugh at me or threaten to arrest me for filing a false report.
JANELLA
If you had another option, would you file a police report?
MICHELLE
I’d love to, but I’ve got a lot going on and I’m already facing legal problems because of my website.
GEORGE
What’s up with your website?
MICHELLE
I run a website for survivors of sexual abuse at the hands of people in authority. Cops, clergy, coaches, teachers, parents. What I went through in Veneto was horrible, but there’s a special kind of violation that occurs when it’s done by someone who is supposed to protect you. I have an entire section devoted to churches. First Union has its own page.
George grabs a second notepad out of his jacket and thumbs through it in a hurry. Janella knows what he’s looking for.
JANELLA
How does it work?
MICHELLE
It’s just a website. It’s a web forum. People create an account, they post, they reply to posts. I have to moderate some things, but for the most part it’s just people talking about their trauma.
JANELLA
What do you moderate?
MICHELLE
Mostly removing names and addresses. Recently, some people posted their stories on how they were attacked by the church. Some as young as 6. Well, I have to moderate it when people post their ‘evidence.’ Then there’s some sick trolls.
JANELLA
A troll?
MICHELLE
Assholes.
JANELLA
Gotcha.
MICHELLE
Reason I’m so on edge is that someone joined the website and figured out who some of these people were and went to the police. I’m getting harassed by First Union and being threatened with a Defamation lawsuit if I don’t shut down the site.
JANELLA
It’s not defamation if it happened.
George finds what he’s looking for. He shows Michelle the website URL.
GEORGE
Is this your site?
MICHELLE
Yes. You said you didn’t know about it.
GEORGE
We didn’t. This came up in what I thought was a different investigation. The person who reported these crimes to the local police also reached out to us. Those calls what started the ball rolling.
Michelle puts her face in her hands. George lowers his voice, softening it.
GEORGE
Would you be willing to come down to the station with us? File a report, start a case, make this official. That way when First Union sends their lawyers, you give them the case number and the courts will stop them.
Michelle looks at herself.
MICHELLE
Give me a few minutes. I, I kind of stink.
GEORGE
Take your time.
Michelle grabs a few pieces of clothing then jumps into the shower.
INT. CHESTER COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT BULLPEN - NIGHT
It’s later that evening back at the precinct. George and Janella sit at their desks. Michelle Bartlett sits in a chair next to both of them. The two detectives work diligently taking her statement and correcting all of the details.
GEORGE (V.O.)
That night, we took the very soon-to-be Dr. Bartlett’s statement. Case number CC20030519SC00235. This would become the official case number for the People versus First Union Holy Church. They say that an avalanche starts with a single snowflake. No one would know looking outside, but on May 19th, 2003, it snowed in Harbor City.