She Could Be Dangerous

SHE COULD BE DANGEROUS

Written by

Tucker Bradley Sloan

FADE IN:

EXT. BRIDGE OVER DRAINAGE DITCH-DAY

A young dead girl floats down a drainage ditch and under a bridge. A young EMILY sees the body from the bridge. 

She climbs down to the body, and with a strange look in her eye, steals a small emerald necklace from the body then heads back up the ditch towards the bridge as she puts on the necklace.

TITLE OVER:

Over a decade later 

INT. PARSONS & PARSONS FINE JEWELRY-DAY

Quirky Emily, early 20’s, still wears the stolen necklace. She is a stunningly dressed, chain-smoking, jewelry store employee.

She fidgets behind the counter of the colorful Parsons & Parsons Fine Jewelry Store located in a strip center along with a hair salon, pawn shop, and sports bar named Hot Toddy’s.

She flicks her lighter nervously as she awaits her next customer. 

The sweet and likeable ANGIE upstages Emily in appearance as she shows up for her first shift. Excited to have a new opportunity, she enters in full confidence.

EMILY

            Hi. What can I help you find 

            today?

ANGIE

            Actually, is your manager in? 

            today’s my first day.

EMILY

            You must be Angie! You’re gorgeous!

ANGIE

That’s me.

EMILY

            Well, Mr. Parsons, as you may know,           lost his mother, so today he decided          to get her portrait. He’s going to hang             it in the front window. So, he’ll be right

            back. 

ANGIE

            Oh, I love your necklace!

EMILY

            Thank you. I’m not that into jewelry, but

            emeralds…

ANGIE

            Really make your eyes pop.

EMILY 

            Really?

ANGIE

            Uh-huh.

EMILY

            Funny. I do introduce myself as Emerald         to customers… So, tell me about yourself.

            Do you have experience in sales?

ANGIE

            Oh, god no. Security. Crystal Bridges Museum         of American Art. Boring as fuck. Stand in a             room all day saying, “Don’t touch that. 

(MORE)

(CONT’D)

            George Washington posed for that, so don’t      touch it.” Makes you want to spank their           hands like you would a toddler. Obviously, I            hated the job. No gun. No phone at work.            Just a lame walkie-talkie that drives you          nuts. Anyway, there was a small flag 

painting there worth 50 million that 

            would’ve fit perfectly in my makeup bag. So          tempting. Don’t worry. I won’t take anything            from your shop. Stealing has consequences. I 

just wanted a job with commission. So here I am. Looking at you.

EMILY

            Well, let’s get you started!

TITLE OVER:

About an hour later

ANGIE

                (laughing)

            I can’t believe you belt out “Circle of         Love,” every time someone asks to look at          wedding rings! That’s a fucking Christmas 

            song!

EMILY

What can I say? I’m an original. No, it’s

            just a tic. Well, only an hour in, and         you’ve helped bring in almost $3,000!

ANGIE

            High five!

Crotchety, grieving PHILLIP PARSONS, late 40’s, enters carrying the portrait and a case. He displays a portrait of his mother wearing an oversized emerald necklace. He stays silent.

EMILY

            Oh, she’s a keeper, Phillip. She is a 

            Keeper!

He displays a note that reads, “NOT FOR SALE,” then carefully takes the necklace out of the case and displays it. 

When Emily sees the necklace, she is entranced. She cannot take her eyes off it. 

ANGIE

            Emily, are you okay? You’re shaking.

EMILY

            Uh. You got this? I’m gonna take my break 

            early.

ANGIE

            Sure.

EMILY

            Thanks.

INT. HOT TODDY’S-DAY

A dark sports bar with colorful lights hanging from the ceiling. 

Clean-cut CARLOS, 20’s, an illegal immigrant from Guatemala, flawlessly works the bar while serving his only customer, Emily, who is drinking tequila shots and chain- smoking.

EMILY

            I want that necklace.

CARLOS

            Um, what?

EMILY

            Phillip put a necklace in the window, and I          want it, but it’s not for sale. 

CARLOS

            Well, that sucks, but…

EMILY

            I’m gonna take it. It’s like a switch has            been flipped. When I saw it, I knew it was              meant to be. I feel different. I felt this             way once. A long time ago, but the memory’s

            all fuzzy. 

CARLOS

            I’m gonna get you some water.

EMILY

            No. One more.

Carlos pours her another shot, but gets her a water, too.

EMILY (CONT’D)

            Carlos, do you believe in destiny? That         things are meant to be?

CARLOS

            It depends.

EMILY

No, it doesn’t. I feel driven.

CARLOS

            You sure you don’t feel sick?

EMILY

            Listen, Carlos. I wanna do something       dangerous. I wanna be dangerous. If I have         to hurt Phillip, I will. Tell me, have you           ever wanted power?

CARLOS

            Well, yes and no.

EMILY

            I have. I want to feel powerful. To have        complete control of a situation where the          only possible outcome is success. That            necklace will make me feel powerful. I want          that necklace. I’m gonna have it. It’s going           to be mine. You see something you want; you          just fucking take it. I want you to help me,

            Carlos.

CARLOS

            Just because I like you, doesn’t mean…

EMILY

            I will happily take your virginity, and you              take whatever you can carry from the store.

CARLOS

            How did you know I was a…

EMILY

Oh, please. Everyone knows.

CARLOS

            Well, I’m down. You know you need guns for 

            this, right?

EMILY

            Where can I…

CARLOS

              I can get guns. If I get deported over this-

            Eh. I go see family.

INT. HOT TODDY’S OFFICE-NIGHT

WE HEAR something like End Credits (Skyhooker Mix) by Ben Salisbury, Geoff Barrow & Joseph McGann as Carlos and Emily suit up in the office for their heist. 

Carlos reveals his gun stash to Emily.

EMILY

            Angie will be gone for the night. 

            She just had a short training shift today.      Phillip will be taking inventory, so the           safe should be open. I’ve come to realize          how much I don’t like Phillip, but I don’t          think we should hurt him. I think we should         scare the wimpy fucker, duct tape him to a           chair, you know, be decent about it. I mean,            he just lost his mom.

CARLOS

            Everyone loses their mom. 

EMILY

            What are you saying?

CARLOS

I’m saying, I was brought here when I was three, at least he had his mom. I don’t even 

            know what that’s like. I say we take that       fucking store. Now, I’ve come to realize a              deep seeded anger in me. I don’t want to             keep busting my ass for rich fuckers. I want           to be the rich fucker. I think I want to be  

            a jeweler.

EMILY

            So you just want to walk in a shoot him?        Can we just see how it goes? Please? I can              give you part of what you bargained for.

CARLOS

            Right now? Fuck yeah.

INT. PARSONS AND PARSONS FINE JEWELRY SAFE ROOM-NIGHT

ANGIE

            …And four moonstones, which are so pretty.

PHILLIP

            And we’re finished. Thanks. You did really           great today, and thank you for staying late.

ANGIE

            Any time. Really. I like it here. I like        Emily. She’s sweet. 

WE HERE two GUNSHOTS, then the front door getting kicked in.

EMILY

Hey Phillip! I know you’re in there! 

You best come out and keep away from the 

            alarm! I think you know what I’m holding 

            here!

ANGIE

            What is going on?

PHILLIP

I don’t fucking know, but I’m not keeping away from my alarm.

EMILY

            There you are, Mr. Parsons… Now, why the        fuck is Angie still here?

Phillip goes for the alarm, but Carlos shoots him in the kneecap. Angie gets on the ground.

EMILY

            Carlos!

CARLOS

            What? He was gonna trip the alarm.

EMILY

            Oh, Phillip, that actually does look like it         hurts. I’ll get you some ice.

CARLOS

            You’re not getting him no fucking ice! I’m           gonna grab some shit.

EMILY

I told you I didn’t wanna… Right… Where’s 

            the tape? Get in the chair, Phillip. Get in          the fucking chair!

Emily tapes him to a rolling chair.

PHILLIP

            Wow. You two really are some tore up from       the floor up trailer park trash!

EMILY

            Shut up!

Emily tapes Phillip’s mouth shut, and wheels him as he bleeds into the walk-in safe. She closes the door and turns the lock.

EMILY

            You. What are you still doing here?

ANGIE

            What? I… I don’t know. He… He asked me to       stay late to help with inventory. 

EMILY

            Oh, I wish he hadn’t done that. Now, where’s         my… Where’s my necklace?

ANGIE

            The emerald necklace? He locked it in the 

            safe.

Emily’s eyes grow two sizes. She shoots Angie in the stomach.

EMILY

            Fuck! I didn’t mean to do that, Angie. Oh,           look at all that blood. Carlos!

ANGIE

            I liked you, Emerald.

EMILY

            What?

Angie dies. Carlos enters.

EMILY

            I think she wanted to be my friend.

CARLOS

You killed her? What’d she do? Man, she was hot… Now she’s smokin’ hot. Get it? Cause… the… the smoke.

Emily screams in anger and sadness. The screen goes black. 

WE HEAR two GUNSHOTS. A pause. Then two more. 

EXT. PARSONS & PARSONS FINE JEWELRY- NIGHT

Angela walks out the front door splattered in blood. She’s in a trance as the necklace hangs around her throat. She runs away into the darkness of night.

FADE OUT.

THE END