This is the scene I had previously posted. I believe I’ve tightened it up. It was the only scene that didn’t work well after I read the script.

Now I have to focus on getting Sam to the bludgeoning death scene that I love so much in the first draft. He seems resigned and fairly composed in this scene for someone going through so much. I want to shake his cage in the next few scenes where murder suddenly seems possible.

(Pages 54-58)
INT. SAM’S BEDROOM – NIGHT

Darkness.

The phone rings.

Sam rustling in the sheets.

SAM
(pissed)
God damn it!
(picks up the phone)
I told you to stop fucking calling me!

MARTIN
How about we just stop by instead.

Martin is in the room.

Sam turns on the light.

Perry and Martin are standing over him. Martin has his cell phone opened. He was the one making the call.

SAM
What the fuck are you doing here? Get out of my house! I fucking told you I dropped off the money already. If you think you’re getting anoth….

Martin duct-tapes his mouth shut. Perry follows right behind with a bag over the head.

CUT TO:

INT. JIMMY’S OFFICE – EARLY MORNING

Jimmy removes the bag from Sam’s head.

Sam is strapped to a chair still wearing his white t-shirt and undies.

Jimmy conspicuously grabs the letter opener and hides it from Sam’s sight. He has a seat across from Sam.

Perry and Martin are standing behind Sam.

Jimmy reaches over and rips the duct-tape off.

SAM
Are you guys having fun?

JIMMY
Fun? No, I’m not having fun. You?

SAM
Me? A sixty year old man getting kidnapped, gagged, blind-folded and dragged somewhere in the middle of the night….yeah, I’m having a blast. What do you have planned for the encore.

JIMMY
That all depends. Wher…

SAM
(interrupting)
Where’s your money? Yeah, yeah, I’ve heard it all before. This is the modus operandi now? Steal money from old people. I’m not one of your two-bit junkies angling for a fix. I’m not going to play ball with you.

Jimmy inhales deeply and rubs his temples. His body language suggests he’s getting upset.

JIMMY
Okay, let’s start from the top, because I’m a little confused.

SAM
(defiant)
Really? We’re going to continue to play.

JIMMY
Humor me.

SAM
Two nights ago, you called me telling me you wanted me to drop the money off at a different location because you had too much heat here. I did and now we’re here.

JIMMY
Drop it off where?

SAM
Under a bridge on Conant, just south of Jefferson.

JIMMY
How do you know it was me?

SAM
I assumed. It sounded like you. Or Martin back there. I’m not sure. It was late and I wasn’t fully awake. Besides, who else would know I owe you money?

Jimmy sits there a beat.

JIMMY
Perry, find the location.

PERRY
Okay.

Perry exits.

JIMMY
Well, it wasn’t me.

SAM
Then Martin.

Martin shakes his head no.

JIMMY
It wasn’t any of my people.

SAM
That’s impossible.

JIMMY
Anyways, why the fuck would you drop off that kind of money in the middle of nowhere? Are you fucking stupid.

SAM
It’s not like I do this shit for a living. It sounded legitimate.

JIMMY
Really? Jesus Christ.
(to Martin)
Give him his clothes. Let him go.
(back to Sam)
You have two days to get my money. Next time we come, we won’t be so nice.

Jimmy angrily slams the letter opener back into the holder on the desk and walks behind the desk.

SAM
Well, you might as well kill me now, because I’m not going to pay you twice.

Jimmy jumps across his desk and onto Sam knocking him to the ground. Jimmy stands over him and starts pummeling him with punches. When he’s done, Sam is bloodied and bruised to pulp.

JIMMY
(wiping his bloody hands clean)
You’re going to pay me. You got that motherfucker? I don’t like being fucked with. I don’t care if it’s a two-bit hustler or a grandpa surgeon or a fucking cop! No one fucks me over. If you don’t care about your life, then I’ll find someone’s life you do care about. Got it?
(to Martin)
Get him out of here.

CUT TO: