INT. DETECTIVE MARSHALL FRANK’S OFFICE – DAY
There is wall calendar that is dated December 15, 1979. MARSHALL FRANK, a middle aged detective is sat at his organized desk with an empty ash tray looking over case files. While looking over the case files, Marshall’s facial expression is simultaneously stern and saddened.
A knock on the office’s only door is heard.
MARSHALL FRANK
(blasé)
Come in.
ENTER, YOUNG DETECTIVE, who is holding three case files.
YOUNG DETECTIVE
Got some files you’ll want to look over.
MARSHALL FRANK
(a little annoyed)
Just drop them on my desk.
The Young Detective drops the case files onto Marshall Frank’s desk.
[CUT TO]
EXT. ESTABLISHING SHOTS – DAY
Pastel homes, liquor stores, a suburban yard a lawn sign with a lawn sign reading ‘We want Niggers moved’ plus ‘We want Cubans moved’, police stations, and lastly a funeral home.
EXT. FUNERAL HOME – EARLY EVENING
Three males are going about the final touches of painting a funeral home.
MCDUFFIE is an African American man wearing a United States marines shit, black slacks, and a wedding ring. DAVÍD is a Columbian young adult wearing a Columbian soccer jersey and
gym shorts. JOSÉ is a Cuban-American young adult, wearing a plain white shirt and black
slacks covered in paint.
JOSÉ Ya, in about two weeks from now I’m going to see
my primos in Cuba. Going to give them some
tools and a radio.
MCDUFFIE You had to give Castro money to even go to Cuba, right?
JOSÉ It is what it is, if I can help my primos it is worth it.
EXT. FUNERAL HOME PARKING LOT – EARLY EVENING
McDuffie is getting on his motorcycle, David is walking towards his car,
and Jose is stood by his car.
DAVÍD See you both next week. Unless you get in trouble
with your wife McDuffie.
MCDUFFIE
(dryly)
Very funny David.
JOSÉ
(loudly)
Stay safe Davíd,
(normal)
and McDuffie you really need to stay safe, ride
carefully, the drivers here are crazy.
MCDUFFIE I can handle myself. You’re the one that needs to stay safe, you’re going to a communist country.
José and Davíd enters their cars. McDuffie puts on his motorcycle helmet and a black leather motorcycle jacket. McDuffie then rides out of the funeral home parking lot on his motorcycle.
EXT. MIAMI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT RESTAURANT PARKING LOT – EVENING
CAROLYN, an African-American woman, is sat on the hood of her car observing airplanes fly off the airport runaway and land on the airport runway.
McDuffie arrives on his motorcycle. McDuffie takes off his wedding ring and places it into his slack pocket. McDuffie then gets off his motorcycle and walks to Carolyn.
When McDuffie reaches Carolyn he joins her in sitting on the hood of Carolyn’s car and they kiss.
[MATCH CUT]
EXT. MIAMI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT RESTAURANT PARKING LOT – SUNSET
Still sat on Carolyn’s car, McDuffie and Carolyn end a kiss.
CAROLYN
Want to head back to my place?
INT. FREDERICA’S HOME – NIGHT
McDuffie and Carolyn are asleep on Carolyn’s bed. McDuffie awakens sweaty and nervous. Carolyn is awoken by McDuffie waking up.
CAROLYN
Is it too hot in here?
MCDUFFIE
(calmly)
No, I’m use to a home without AC.
(nervously)
I just, I um, I have to go.
EXT. APARTMENT PARKING LOT – NIGHT
McDuffie gets onto his motorcycle, takes his wedding ring out of pocket puts it on
his fingers, then puts on his motorcycle helmet, and then speeds out of the
parking lot.
INT. LIQUOR STORE – NIGHT
Davíd is scanning a liquor store and grabs a bottle. Davíd walks towards the counter ready to purchase the bottle he grabbed from the CLERK.
CLERK is an elderly hispanic man.
Suddenly, a group of armed masked men enter the liquor store including MARIO.
MARIO is a masked man wearing a floral shirt.
MARIO
(in Spanish with a Columbian accent)
You fucking think that you can just not pay me what you fucking owe me. You stupid motherfucker who did you think you were dealing with, I am not some nobody, I run this fucking city.
CLERK
(in Spanish and panicked)
Please sir, give me a little more time, I will certainly have your money.
All the masked men begin to fire their guns at will, killing both the Clerk and Davíd without any consideration. The armed masked men rush out of the liquor store after their shooting.
Davíd is covered in blood but the bottle he was holding remained unbroken.
Police sirens begin to blare.
[CUT TO]
EXT. SIDE OF A HIGHWAY – NIGHT
Police sirens are blaring.
A group of police officers, wearing two sets of uniforms stand over McDuffie.
McDuffie is sat on the highway wall battered, handcuffed, and still wearing his
motorcycle helmet which now dented. Red and blue lights flash over the officers plus McDuffie.
ENTER an EMT who rushes over to McDuffie.
EMT
(to the police)
Can you remove the handcuffs?
One officer removes McDuffie’s handcuffs.
OFFICER
He crashed into the wall.
The EMT examines McDuffie.
EMT He’s dead.
EXT. JOSÉ’S HOUSE – NIGHT
José who is holding tools and a radio in his hand is walking towards his doors. José sees a note that is written on his door and begins to read the note.
The note reads in Spanish, “You are a traitor, you have abandoned your people, and have turned your back on your country. Die you Communist.”
The sound a sniper rifle shot is heard. José falls the ground having been shot by a
sniper. He falls to the ground lays lifeless at his door having dropped the radio and
tools.
INT. DETECTIVE MARSHALL FRANK’S OFFICE – NIGHT
Marshall Frank is sat at his messy desk with an ash tray full of cigarette butts, looking over a case files, he puts down the case file on his messy desk and somberly rubs his face.
A knock is heard at Frank’s office door.
MARSHALL FRANK
(frustrated)
Come in.
ENTER EDNA, a middle aged female journalist who look is stuck in the 1950’s.
EDNA Anything that the Herald should report on?
MARSHALL FRANK
(somber)
Same shit, different day…
EXT. SIDE OF A HIGHWAY – NIGHT – FLASHBACK
McDuffie is being brutally beat by a group of officer wearing two sets of uniforms. He is then handcuffed and sat down on the highway wall.
INT. MARSHALL FRANK’S OFFICE – NIGHT
Marshall Frank is sat at his desk looking at a standing Edna.
MARSHALL FRANK
(angered)
There is more violence, what else would you expect, I’m a homicide detective.
Edna leaves the office.
CLOSE UP on Marshall Frank’s sullen face.
[MATCH CUT TO]
INT. DETECTIVE MARSHALL FRANK’S OFFICE – DAY
CLOSE UP Marshall Frank’s sullen face.
Knocks at the door.
END CLOSE UP.
MARSHALL FRANK
(blasé)
Come in.
Young Detective ENTERS Marshall Frank’s office and places three case files on Marshall Frank’s organized desk. The Young Detective leaves the office.
Marshall Frank grabs one of the case files and begins to look over it.
FADE TO BLACK
Anthony David Vernon is a Cuban-American writer and a master’s level philosophy student at the University of New Mexico.He also earned a minor film at the University of Central Florida and edited videos for various entertainment Youtubers.